Dec 27, 2006 11:52 PM
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Tom Stall (Viggo Mortenson) is a mild mannered guy who has a quiet life with his wife and two kids and a diner in Meadowbrook, Indiana. One day, two men come in to the diner and traumatize the people inside. Before they can hurt anyone, Tom disengages them and shoots them with all the agility of a seasoned killer. He is then deemed a local hero in his little sleepy town, his face plastered in the news and TV.
Soon after, Fogarty (Ed Harris) shows up, insisting that Tom is really a mobster and he has the scars on his face to remind him. He will never forget the face of Joey Cusack. Still Tom is insistent that he is just a regular guy. Tom’s wife is becoming suspicious and her suspicions are confirmed when she witnesses her husband kill Fogarty on their front lawn. Now he has some serious “splainin” to do…
The drama grips you from the beginning and all through to the chilling end when Stall is reunited with his Mobster brother, Richie Cusack (William Hurt). The characters are integrated so well and the cast is perfection. Maria Bello plays Tom’s wife and boy do these two have chemistry. There are some very steamy scenes for them as they are passionate even after twenty-five years of marriage. You will blush! Of course, the couple have two children and they compliment the story well.
The best scenes are of Tom, Fogarty and Cusack. The script is well-written as the three (not in the same scenes) are mesmerizing and chilling to your bones. The grand finale of the film is both deep and complex. I’ll save that surprise for you. The theme of the movie, though is the History of Violence and that also means there is a story of one man, his family and the choices he has made in his life. Passionate, expressive, exciting and brilliant are words that come to mind with this film and winner of many nominations for film awards, including 2 Oscar Nominations.
