HISTORY OF VIOLENCE is a gripping neo-noir thriller based on the graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke. Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen), a seemingly ordinary diner owner in small-town Indiana, lives a quiet life with his wife, Edie (Maria Bello), and their two children. His idyllic existence unravels when he heroically stops a violent robbery, killing two criminals in self-defense. The act garners media attention, thrusting Tom into the spotlight.

Soon, mysterious men, led by the menacing Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris), arrive, claiming Tom is actually Joey Cusack, a former mob enforcer from Philadelphia with a brutal past. Tom denies the accusations, but his calm demeanor and lethal skills during the robbery raise doubts. Edie begins questioning her husband’s identity, and their marriage strains under the weight of suspicion. As threats escalate, Tom is forced to confront Fogarty’s crew, displaying a chilling proficiency for violence that shocks his family.

As Tom’s past catches up. He travels to Philadelphia to face his estranged brother, Richie (William Hurt), a volatile mobster. Their reunion reveals Joey’s history of betrayal and bloodshed, culminating in a deadly confrontation. Tom returns home, attempting to reconcile with Edie and their children, but the scars of his past linger, leaving their future uncertain.

HISTORY OF VIOLENCE was released on September 25, 2003.