Saw this film last night. I was/am apalled by it. I don't think I have sense of humour deficiency but I couldn't find anything remotely amusing about it. I don't really understand Cronenberg's philosophy but I would like to think that the main protagonist, who had somehow been redeemed in the final scenes because he had finally murdered his mob peers and was now therefore 'clean', 'forgiven', even if he had to face his family, did get his deserved comeuppance in the end, after Cronenberg's actual ending (at the hands of his wife (there speaks the violence in me)).
[Swipe above for spoilers -- LT]
This message has been edited. Last edited by: LinnTate,
Posts: 2 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 07 October 2005
Hmm..I liked History of Violence. I saw it as more of a concept film with humor in violence to contribute to the 'Culture of violence' theme.
I agree with the review that called it an 'art film posing as a thriller'.
Now...it is certainly raw, bloody, and violent. But..realistic? No.
Stall/Cusack probably wouldn't have been able to win those fights in real life. And, Fogerty would have never shown him his face. The hit would have come in the form of two shots to the back of the head when he didn't even expect it. And Richard probably wouldn't have tried to kill him in his house and potentially left evidence that would directly implicate him.
But, it doesn't matter that it wasn't realistic, because realistic wasn't the point of the movie.
Posts: 1783 | Location: Around Boston. | Registered: 24 February 2005
Originally posted by paxsoprano: I think it's fair to say this wasn't the standard violent/action/summer movie. The humor was supposed to be macabre, not "amusing."
I've had a weekend away... Okay, the preposterous scene where William Hurts character looks incredulous as his men are all dispatched one after the other, brought a smile only because it was so preposterous.
I don't see that many films but I can see the macabre humour in David Lynch's or Tarantino's work but not Cronenberg's. He's trying too hard to shock...
Posts: 2 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 07 October 2005
Well, it isn't suppost to be amusing, it's suppost to be Raw, Violent, Bloody and Realistic. I thought the film was great and is my number 4 of the year so far.
Posts: 7 | Location: California | Registered: 01 October 2005
