Free Essay

History of Violence

In:

Submitted By aubree
Words 619
Pages 3
A History of Violence Acting in films is what makes or breaks the movie. If there is an actor who is just not believable in a film, in my opinion it kind of ruins the film. In the film, A History of Violence, I found there to be particularly good acting and some acting that was just okay. A History of Violence is an action packed film with unexpected scenarios. A mild-mannered man by the name of Tom Stall unexpectedly becomes the hero of a small town when a pair of criminals attempt to rob his diner. Tom Stall responds very quickly to their attempt and easily protects himself and those in his diner. Shortly after his heroic actions a strange man by the name of Carl Fogarty comes to this small town where he insisted that Tom Stall was really a mobster from Philadelphia who was named Joey Cusack. Upon Carl’s arrival, “Tom” is forced to face his violent past when his wife, Edie, and teenage son, Jack, are put in danger.

The actor who played Tom Stall in this film was Viggo Mortensen. Mortensen played a man who was pretending to be someone else. Essentially Tom Stall was living a lie and a in a way he was a man with split personalities. This could be a hard role to play I’m sure, however, I felt that Viggo Mortensen played this role particularly well. He did a good job playing the mild mannered man of Tom Stall. He was very believable in the Tom Stall role, so when I found out in the film that he had a violent past and his real name was Joey Cusack I was shocked. I think Mortensen was the perfect person for this role. To play this role you have to be very manipulative, sneaky and believable in doing so. To me, Mortensen was very captivating and very committed to this role.

Another main character in this film was Tom Stalls wife, Edie. Edie was played by Maria Bello. She played a very honest role of simply being his wife and mother to their son Jack. I felt that Bello’s acting in this film was not award winning or even recognizable for that matter. I felt at times she was bit overdramatic in her crying to the point where it seemed almost fake to me. Overall, I think she did an okay job in playing the role of Edie. I think maybe another actress would have been more suitable for the role but Bello did the job.

The character that I felt did the best job in the film was Carl Fogarty, played by Ed Harris. Carl Fogarty was a threatening stranger in this film. To me, he portrayed the image of a threatening, unknown, and sketchy man almost perfectly and was very captivating in this role. I think it could be rather difficult to play this role because you have to be very shadowy and suspicious, which not everyone can do. The way that he spoke in a very smug way and spoke with such confidence make his role very believable.

All in all, the acting in this film was above average to me. I think the main characters did a good job in this film and were very convincing. The minor roles in this film were not the most believable to me and I believe for those roles better casting could have been initiated. Aside from the acting of this film, I enjoyed this film and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I would recommend this film to other people in the hopes they would get a thrill out of it as did I .

Similar Documents

Free Essay

A History of Violence

...The film A History of Violence is a movie that centralizes around the life of a man named Tom Stall, a man played by actor Viggo Mortensen, who appears to be an easygoing loving family man and a friendly local business owner in the small amiable town of Millbrook, Indiana. Stall becomes a local hero when he surprisingly kills two sociopaths that attempt to rob his diner. His life seems to immediately turn upside down when a mysterious group of mobsters begin to start following Tom and his wife Edie, accusing him of being a former hit man from Philadelphia with the name Joey Cusack. The name Stall is a very symbolic name in that Tom Stall is stalling the truth about his identity from all of those around him, including his immediate family. He is stalling from this very large secret he keeps inside of him from getting out. Violence is prevalent throughout the film. This movie raises many questions about violence and the idea of catharsis. During the film, the main character emotionally cleanses his past demons by changing his former identity to a new man of different morals. In real life, there is a lot of controversy about whether anger, rage, and fighting is a healthy form of catharsis. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines the word catharsis as “a purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear, described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience.” ...

Words: 1190 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

African American Violence in History

...The general public we live in today is still brimming with bigotry and extremism, however the gathering that quite gets the main part of this contempt is the African American group. There are numerous shocking generalizations that individuals place upon them, from they are inalienably savage to they are inept. Considering how dynamic, different, and tolerating the United States cases to be we too are liable of this appalling conduct. Despite the fact that roughness toward African Americans has declined generously since the foundation of this nation regardless it has yet to totally stop, which is astonishing. African Americans did not do anything to dispense this savagery upon themselves, they didn't do anything to launch any kind of question. So these individuals don't merit this treatment. Truth be told, we ought to be saying thanks to African Americans for their commitments to society. The main reason they are singled out is a direct result of the shading of their skin, and the way that others wish to create their predominance. It is sickening. African Americans have been the casualties of savagery originated from antagonistic vibe from their entry to the New World, their subjugation, the social equality development, and even until today. Christopher Columbus still gets acknowledgment for being the author of the New World, actually when there is a plenty of proof demonstrating that there were different people groups that had been possessing the area; African Americans included...

Words: 1685 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Soc 490 History of Domestic Violence

...The History of Domestic Violence Antoinette Perkins SOC 490 Dr. Stephen Ulrich November 11, 2012 Although, there are many social science problem or topics issues that take place on a regular basis throughout the world in our everyday society, I have chosen to discuss factors impacting domestic violence where women are mainly the victims. Even though there are many social problems in the world that we deal with, domestic violence should be taken more seriously especially with the consequences that could follow it. Although there are many different types of domestic violence that women suffer from, women should always take certain precautions and necessary action for a healthy and safe environment for themselves. With protecting themselves by receiving the proper help and it will help them to love themselves, feel safe, and help them to make better choices concerning their lives. There are a number of incidents that takes place each year on a daily basis referring to domestic violence including; women who are in college, different ethnics, different sizes, and so much more, which really means there is no particular woman that is chosen to become a victim. With domestic violence it is never a good situation for anyone to be in because of the outcome can be very serious and deadly for the victim. Even though there are many social problems in the world that we deal with, domestic violence should be taken more seriously especially...

Words: 4845 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Mei Ling Case Summary

...having a misdemeanor domestic violence criminal conviction against her? Rules: 1) § 3044. Presumption against persons perpetrating domestic violence is the first applicable law in this case. § 3044 states, upon a finding by the court that a party seeking custody of a child has committed domestic violence against the other party seeking custody of the child within five years, there is a rebuttable presumption that the person seeking custody, who has committed the domestic violence offensive, is detrimental to the best interest of the child. This presumption may only be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. Cal. Fam. Code § 3044 (a) (Deering 2006). 2) § 3011. Best...

Words: 960 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mass Violence And Genocide

...The inherent risk of the formation of hatred and prejudice within a group and directed against those defined as “other” can be assessed by examining an array of factors behind mass violence and genocide. These factors are primarily group cultural history and situational factors, including crises and authoritarian leadership. Human beings do not exist in a vacuum. Rather, people develop and live within a variety of cultures with distinct histories. Our identity and our perceptions of the world are formed by our culture. Our sense of what is normal, in terms of morality or interpersonal relationships are shaped by our sociocultural context. The three common patterns of a culture of violence are: the use of aggression as a problem-solving skill;...

Words: 847 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Violence

...television set and see violence things happening all over the world. With the way violence is publicized over the news, television, Internet, radio, movies and games it is no wonder that people feel that the world is more violent then any other time in history. But, in my option, if you look at our history, you will see that the world today is no more violent than has been in the past. It is rarely known why someone would commit a violent act upon another person. The spectrum of violence can range anywhere from a scuffle between two individuals to a full scale World War among many nations. Generally, violence is associated with aggression, brute force, and the intention of causing harm. Political, social, religious, economic, criminal and personal differences are some of the most passionate issues we face as human beings. They are often the most common reasons for violence as they are often how people define themselves. (Alder & Denmark, 2004) Violence on a political level may be used to protect citizens or defend from outside forces. Ethnic or racial groups may use violence to fight against oppression and discrimination. Religion can also be a driving force of violence, because of differences in religion or performing terrorist attacks in the name of God. When someone assaults, robs, or commits a homicide there is usually violence involved. Emotions are probably one of the biggest triggers of violence. Individuals can be easily perform violence due to any number of...

Words: 2561 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Administrative Means" and "Administative Ends

...Chapter 3 Summary In chapter three there is a lot of information about slavery and violence in the South. Slaves and violence were definitely two important things to citizens living in the South. Something created for these citizens was slave patrol. This concept pleased the South a lot. Slave patrol was influenced very much. The amount of violence in the South was another key idea that was talked about a lot in chapter three. The South lived for violence. The different types of violence that occurred are very horrifying. What they allowed to happen in the South is terrible. This was definitely a very dangerous part of the country looking back in history. In the text it states “Included in the list of laws enforced by developing Southern police departments was a substantial number of criminal violations directly supporting slavery, enumerated in slave codes adopted by colonial, and later state, legislature”(Wadman and Allison, pg. 31). Slavery was well supported and influenced in the South. They even created a concept called slave patrols where law enforcement would make sure that codes were enforced and so that the southern economic mechanism of slavery was preserved. Citizens in the south feared that slavery would end because they would have too much power if they all began to run away and get away with it. The South also called their slaves their “property” which is disturbing. Slaves were not even seen as humans. They were seen more as an object to the Southern citizens...

Words: 521 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Violence in Sports

...Sport Psychology PE 511 Annotated Bibliography Coakley, J. (2014). Violence in sports: How does it affect our lives?. (11th ed). Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies. New York, NY. McGraw Hill. The author goes into great detail discussing violence: defining it, giving an account for violence throughout history, discussing violence on as well as off the field, and how it affects the lives of various individuals. The author also goes into great detail informing his audience on the various types of violence one may encounter in the sports arena. Some issues may be small, but on the other hand some situations pertaining to violence and sports are very serious, and should be viewed accordingly. I think the intended audience can be applied to everyone who plays any sport, coach a sport, and anyone who goes to any type sports activities. This article is the foundation of my research and all other articles will add to this one. Jewell, R., Moti, A, and Coates, D. (2011). Violence and Aggression in Spectator Sports. Economics, History and Policy, Sports Economics, Management and Policy 4. (11). 11-26. The authors in this article make a lot of interesting points when discussing violence and aggression in spectator sports. This article in intended for people who are concerned with the violent acts that occur in sports. The author briefly discusses the history of sports in Mesoamerican and Greek cultures. The article also discusses the revenue that is made from...

Words: 1161 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Flight Sherman Alexie Analysis

...Alternate History, History and Historical Elements in “Flight” Flight the novel by Sherman Alexie itself is a travel through time. Although the novelist makes references to historical events in the book, this work cannot be called as historical fiction. Rather it falls into the category of Alternate history. It belongs to the genre where the author alters events that really happened in the past and sets his plot in the resulting changes. In the case of Flight, the novel can be called speculative fiction with a heavy dose of history and historical elements. In this narrative of Zits’ story, the author makes the protagonist jump into different historical identities. Zits does this as he travels through time and revisits history. Zits understanding of violence changes as he travels through these different...

Words: 1924 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Richard Slotkin

...Part 1 Richard Slotkin The notion of Regeneration through Violence is not new to the American cultural concept, nor is the intensive use of myth. Richard Slotkin’s book meticulously accounts how the use of violence has been integral to the construction of a distinctly American mythology. Slotkin argues, “In American mythology the founding fathers were not those 18TH-century gentlemen who composed a nation at Philadelphia. Rather, they were those who tore violently a nation from implacable and opulent wilderness”. As a result regeneration ultimately became the means of violence, and the myth of regeneration through violence became the structuring metaphor of the American experience. In describing the evolution of the myth of regeneration through violence, Slotkin describes North America as an empty, unoccupied wilderness where resources are rich and land is free for the taking, or if not exactly free, the land becomes the rightful spoil of war for those representing the interests of civilization and progress. The symbolic landscape of the frontier narrative is marked by boundaries and by the encounter of opposites; civilization and savagery, man and nature, whites and Indians, good and evil. These encounters are characterized in terms of conflictand violence as the protagonist struggles against the harsh environment, the unknown and potentially hostile Indians, and the savagery of the empty land. As Slotkin argues, European American encounters with the wilderness produced...

Words: 631 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Suicidal Ideation

...(1991) found stronger correlations between depression and psychological abuse rather than physical abuse, supporting a link between sense of self and depression in abusive relationships. Jack and Dill (1992) also observed that depressed women reported ―a loss of self‖ either they were with the history of domestic violence or not. Findings of another study indicated that physical and psychological violence by close family members is very common and leading to intimidation, emotional trauma, continued depression, suicidal ideations, and suicidal attempts among women (Sheikh, 2000). Women with the history of domestic violence are fatally depressed and demeaned by their abuser, there seems to be...

Words: 1636 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Family Violence In Australia Essay

...Domestic and family violence is intentional and systematic and often increases in frequency and severity the longer the relationship continues. In Australia, domestic and family violence “is found across all cultures, ages and socio-economic groups, but the majority of those who experience these forms of violence are women. However, it is not possible to measure the true extent of the problem as most incidents of domestic, family and sexual violence go unreported.” (Parliament of Australia, 2015). The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the levels of violence experienced by the world’s women as ‘a global public health problem of epidemic proportions, requiring urgent action’. “In Australia, domestic, family and sexual violence is found across all cultures, ages and socio-economic groups, but the majority of those who experience...

Words: 819 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Workplace Violance

...Case study No.1 Workplace violence Problem definition Workplace violence occurs in a work setting which is an act of aggression, physical assault, or threatening behavior that causes physical or emotional harm and endangers the health or safety of the customers, coworkers, or managers. Justification of the Problem There are many causes of Workplace violence including economic, societal, psychological, and organizations issues. The economic causes are an over-stressed population, re-organizing departments, growth of technology, recession, and unemployment. Many people have the opinion that the societal causes of workplace violence are many; a changing society, violence on television and in the movies, music. Physiological causes of workplace violence may also be the result of employees who have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse from childhood. The role that organizations play in workplace violence includes; organizational structure, the lack of a forum to address grievances, threats of violence, creativity and new ideas being discouraged. Empowered employees and a voice in the decision-making process are lacking. Many workers may look at violence as being part of their job; a risk they are expected to endure. Cases of verbal abuse are often seen as not worth reporting, particularly when the employer is not supportive of the worker’s claim. For these reasons, the actual statistical extent of violence is not really known. List of Alternatives 1...

Words: 813 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Essay On Hockey Violence

...VIOLENCE IN SPORTS AND IT’S OCCURANCE DUE TO WAR There is a correlation between fights, hostility, and other violence in pro and amateur sports which can result in wars. The 2001 NHL season occurred during the Iraqi Civil War, and the NHL had one of the toughest starts ever. Six players had been suspended and 82 major penalties like fighting were given in 42 games, compared to the season before this which was an increase in 44%. Increase of violence in sports during times of war is no coincidence, it is a representation of what is happening in society. Some questions to consider will be is there an explanation to this increase? What are some extreme cases that have led to investigation? And who has spoken out about this correlation? A theory called the cultural spillover theory...

Words: 751 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Targeted Violence Among Native Americans

...Targeted Violence Less than one percent of full-blooded Native Americans are left in the United States Reading Watsons Go to Birmingham, I saw a history of violence that had happened long ago. Overall, I think targeted violence is the worst kind of violence over random violence. First, there are many stories throughout us history where Natives were targeted with violence. Native Americans have protested their rights but, yet they were met with targeted violence. For example, Dakota Access Pipeline, where many Native Americans fought to keep the oil from running through their land. Still they were met with violence by being arrested, shot with rubber bullets, shot by water cannons, tear gas, all of this is being used...

Words: 349 - Pages: 2