Joined: Wed Mar 16 2005, 01:18am
Location: in a Finnish goat hut north of the Arctic circle
Posts: 1534
Okay, this is one of those films that I am drawn to, something I had to see at some point. It finally came out on DVD this past week, and in turn I finally got a chance to see it. It 'stars' Viggo Mortenson (of Lord of the Rings fame), Ed Harris, Maria Bello and a bunch of other people I don't know of. A huge factor in my desire to see this film is the director, I usually like the wierdness/unique qualities David Cronenberg brings to his films. His past films such as 'Dead Ringers' + 'Crash' were both oddball cultish films that were intriguing as hell and are both films I like to see every so often - a rare thing for me.
The main plot-line is that Tom Stalls (Viggo) is a hometown handsome fella with a wife, 2 kids, and a nice picket fence house on the edge of town. His humble yet satisfying life also centers on a typically small-town diner that he operates on the town's main street. It's the social hub of the small town. Meanwhile, two bottom-feeding mafia low-life types are on the lam, leaving a trail of dead bodies across a few southern states, and growing increasingly broke and psycho. Then, they stumble into Tom's town, realize they are broke, and attempt to re-line their pockets with some cash, they decide to forcibly rob Tom's diner. This scene is fucking violent and incredible, but suffice to say, Tom thwarts them and saves a handful of lives. TV crews descend on the town, Tom is a local hero, and his face in on CNN and stuff. Big time scumbag mafia, in the face of Ed Harris, recognize Tom as a long missing/presumed dead cuttroat ex-mafia with a, yes, HISTORY OF VIOLENCE. They know this firsthand, as Tom disfigured the Ed Harris guy's face with barbed-wire at one time. So, Ed is pissed as fuck, and is one menacing presense, as are his two sidekick thugs. The twist comes when Tom's wife Edie, played by hot n' luscious Maria Bello, begins to realize that her man Tom, the man she had married, bore two kids for and loves, is probably not all he seemed all along ... Let me just say here, that this relationship is portrayed intensely and very believabley, as there is a tremendous passion between the two, as evidenced by the subtle interplay between the two early on in the film, as well as some hot scenes involving fantasy sex between them. Bello in a cheerleader outfit is mind-bogglingly arousing. So, old fears and tensions begin to unravel Tom's mind. He cannot be calm with his family so vulnerable and he knows his enemy is ruthless in this situation - but he cannot divulge it because his life is based on an obfuscation of his past. The violence depicted in this film is choreographed in such an intense and stunning way, it is really a treat when it is done like this. Mainly because you know the conflicts that exist between the characters, the gripping emotional tensions, and the fear of loss of people so dear. Because the past comes back to haunt Tom so mercilessly, the story that unfold is really about the relationship and the foundation that Tom has built in his NEW life with his wife and family. Mainly his wife. At it's root, this film is about their dynamic love affair with the small town backdrop, and the life-changing violence that comes to pass because of the initially amazing heroic act. Tom spends most of the latter half of the film cleaning up the bad guys. He is forced to return to his roots and basically kill everyone there, or die. Those are his choices because a mafia past never really goes away, and he REALLY has become Tom Stalls now, he is not the sadistic hit-man of his past any longer. However, his past skills are not lost, and that is a good thing for him. The tough part will be convincing his wife and family who he really is now. His son also overcomes a school asshole/bully as a nice parallel to his father's growing penchant for violence as a way to resolve problems. The son's 'fight' with the bully is worth the rental alone. Fucking great.
This movie depicts the town and the familial love within the Stall family as a simple middle America initially, and the slide into the murk of violence and survival is remarkable in how it is affecting everyone in the film.
I recommend it highly, but keep in mind, this story is about Tom and Edie and their relationship for the most part (I felt).
