History of Violence

[Ponytail]

Absolutely horrible. Good actors, horrible acting. So bad, it was laughable, and we did laugh, alot. Worst movie I've seen in a long time.

This movie is an awesome example of how a director can screw up a pretty good story.

I don't regret spending $10 a pop to see it. I do regret wating until the end to leave.

 

[Larry Gude]

I'm glad this has it's own thread...

Absolutely horrible. Good actors, horrible acting. So bad, it was laughable, and we did laugh, alot. Worst movie I've seen in a long time.

This movie is an awesome example of how a director can screw up a pretty good story.

I don't regret spending $10 a pop to see it. I do regret wating until the end to leave.

...because this fetid piece of fermenting, festering flotsam is SO bad, so incredibly bad, that it is worth talking about.

This HAD to be some theatre majors last minute senior project. There is no, no way that professionals trained in the arts of entertaining through the not exactly new medium of film could consciously make this clunker.

I'm imagining a bet among all parties involved, actors, directors, et al, to see just how bad of a film they could make...and get away with it.

Were they miffed at the studio? Simple disdain for the audience? In a hurry to get it over with?

This thing is so bad that the industry did the ONLY thing they could do to save face; nominate it for awards. It's like standing around in an art museum watching people gawk at something that looks like spilt paint.

"The depth!"

"The insight!"

"The feeling"

"It emotes!"

"No, it evokes!"

"Genius!"

So, they move on, you stroll over, mutter 'huh, looks like spilt paint to me' under your breath, not wanting everyone to know your ignorance of the great details and meaning of art and then two construction guys come around the corner...'there's our damn drop cloth...'

This movie is absolutely worth renting. A must, in fact. It's THAT bad.

Here's how I added my own little interpretation to the festivities; at every BIG MEANINGFUL MOMENT, (of which there are 100's) just as the BIG EXPRESSION is about to be delivered, say this; "Now, if you'd just slip into the cheerleader outfit..."

Try your own variations; "Hey, Joey, mind if I, like, borrow the cheerleader outfit?"

Or my favorite, "So, Joey, the cheerleader thing still working for you?"

Or even, "Say, Sam, I can see you in the cheerleader uniform..."

Ah, art.

 

[DotTheEyes]

This movie was a big disappointment. Considering the great reviews and award nominations, I was expecting a great film. What I saw was a tedious, often corny so-called "thriller" with disappointing performances and dull direction. It sounds so mean-spirited, but I was glad it had all the graphic violence - it kept me from falling asleep. ;-) Everything in this film was so obvious. It tried to play out as a great mystery, but every surprise twist was crystal clear long before the film tries to use it to surprise and rattle the audience. Also, the action sequences were very bland (beyond the over-the-top gore effects). I realize the director was trying to drain violence of it's excitement, but there's something wrong when a scene with punching, kicking, and shotgun firing is about as thrilling as a tea party. I won't even mention the performances. Ah, nevermind, I will! I can't believe how amateurish and downright lame great actors like Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, and Ed Harris were here! Only William Hurt, with his 5-minute cameo near the end as a vicious Philly-based mobster, showed his A-game. Although his role was way too tiny to warrant the Acad. Award nomination they gave him for it.

Overall, I thought A History Of Violence was a big bust. Great cast, interesting premise, intriuging advertising... final result? A dull, forgettable retread of modly thriller cliches with no message (it's HILARIOUS the studio tried to call this 'a complex and emotional statement on the effects of violence' Yeah, and The Terminator's a moving anti-assassination piece! B.S.!) and a bunch of shocking, yet useless gore shots to desperately try and enliven the bland thing. If I were recommending DVDs to a friend, I'd say pass on this and check out other recent thrillers, such as the great Syriana, Munich, and The Constant Gardener.