Holmes exits his HISTORY class, in which he's influenced by more VIOLENCE than any of his video games.

A History of Violence

directed by David Cronenberg (Spider)
screenplay by Josh Olson (Infested)
based on the comic by John Wagner and Vince Locke

produced by Chris Bender (The Butterfly Effect) and David Cronenberg (Spider) and J.C. Spink (The Butterfly Effect)

starring Viggo Mortensen (Hidalgo), Maria Bello (The Cooler), Ed Harris (Radio), William Hurt (Lost in Space), Ashton Holmes (A Million Miles to Sunshine)

lowdown:  A thriller about a husband and father who commits murder in self-defense.

low expectation:   
    Cronenberg, one of cinema's most overrated directors, is given his biggest budget and most commercial cast so that he can confused and bore more people than usual.

follow-up: 
    Combining the marital deception of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the identity crisis of Batman Begins and the survival compulsion of War of the Worlds, A History of Violence is the best non-summer action movie and makes the transition from blockbuster season to Oscar time (not that I believe this to be award-worthy) a smooth passage.

Read the Film Cynic's review

website:  HistoryofViolence.com

official synopsis:  
      A stylized thriller from director David Cronenberg, "A History of Violence" examines how far a man is willing to go in his quest for redemption and to protect his family. Viggo Mortensen stars as Tom McKenna, a man who leads a quiet, charmed life with his loving wife and family in a small town. But when an unexpected incident turns bloody and brings unwanted attention to him, Tom is forced to return to his secret past in order to rescue his family from peril.

recommended alternative:

Expectation Key


there's no possible way I will ever see this

I might eventually see this but I'm not really expecting much

anticipating the release of this one but I'm sure to be left unsatisfied

such high expectation of this film only leaves room for disappointment