A History of Violence

David Cronenberg's searing thriller, about a small-town family man who may or may not be hiding from a criminal past, built up the tension with such excruciating precision, it was almost unbearable. Viggo Mortensen's amazing, inscrutable lead performance personified Cronenberg's thorny linking of sex and violence, projecting vulnerability and masculinity in equal measure. Stellar supporting turns from Mario Bello, William Hurt and Ed Harris helped to create an instant classic - a modern-day western filled with devastatingly violent set-pieces and chillingly observed character dynamics. (Flicks.co.nz's Top 50 Films of the Decade)

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