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- Directed by David Cronenberg
- Written by Josh Olson
- Starring Ed Harris, Maria Bello, Viggo Mortensen, William Hurt
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In this thrill-packed actioner, a small-town diner owner, Tom Stall (Mortensen, THE LORD OF THE RINGS) finds himself a local hero after he successful takes down two thugs during an attempted robbery. But his sudden celebrity draws unwanted attention from the outside world, including mobsters Carl Fogarty (Academy Award nominee Harris, A BEAUTIFUL MIND) and Richie Cusack (Academy Award winner Hurt, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN), who insist that Tom is intricately tied to their past. Fogarty begins stalking Tom's wife (Bello, THE COOLER) and children, resulting in a bloody standoff in which Tom must protect his family from what is either a case of mistaken identity or a violent past that's finally caught up with him.
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Won: Best American Film, 2006 Bodil Awards
Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Hurt), Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay, 2006 Academy Awards; Golden Palm, 2005 Cannes Film Festival
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Without a doubt one of the very best of the year.
- More on A History of Violence:
- Official film web site
- Interivew with director David Cronenberg and actor Viggo Mortensen


