A History of Violence is a 2005 American crime/thriller film directed by David Cronenberg, and written by Josh Olson, based on the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke. The film features Viggo Mortensen as the owner of a diner who is thrust into the spotlight after killing two robbers in self-defense.

The film was put into limited release in the United States on September 23, 2005 and wide-release on September 30, 2005. It has the distinction of being the final major Hollywood motion picture released on VHS.[1]

William Hurt was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, while Josh Olson was nominated for Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is a local restaurant owner in the small town of Millbrook, Indiana who lives peacefully with his lawyer wife Edie (Maria Bello), his teenage son Jack (Ashton Holmes) and younger daughter Sarah (Heidi Hayes).

One night two robbers come into Millbrook and stop at Tom's restaurant as he is closing it. The robbers attempt to rob the restaurant, but Tom defends himself and his restaurant patrons by killing both robbers. Overnight, Tom Stall becomes a nationwide celebrity.

Tom is soon visited by a scarred gangster named Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), who alleges that Tom's real name is not Tom Stall, and that he is not even from Indiana. Fogarty claims Tom is actually a gangster named Joey Cusack, who used to run with him in the local Irish Mob in Philadelphia[2] . Tom denies these accusations and claims he has never been to Philadelphia, but Fogarty continues to stalk the Stall family. Under pressure from Fogarty and his newfound fame, Tom's marriage and relationship with his son, Jack, become strained.

Tom soon gets into an argument with his son over the use of violence, and Jack runs off. Fogarty soon arrives at the Stall house, with Jack in tow, and demands that "Joey" return with him to Philadelphia. Tom then gets into a fight with Fogarty's men, killing them, while Jack kills Fogarty with a sh