A History of Violence: Streaming, Plot & Ending Explained

Is A History of Violence Worth Watching?

Critical reception and ratings

• The film holds an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
• IMDb users rate it 7.4/10 (IMDb, film database).
• In 2025, Rolling Stone ranked it number 33 on its list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century (Wikipedia).

Comparison to the graphic novel

The graphic novel, published in 1997 by DC Comics’ Paradox Press, is darker and more explicit in its violence. The film adaptation by Josh Olson streamlines the story, removes subplots, and gives the ending a more ambiguous tone. Key changes include the family’s reaction – in the comic, the wife openly rejects Tom, while the film leaves their reconciliation uncertain (Cinephilia & Beyond, film analysis publication).

Should you watch it?

If you’re looking for a film that questions what lies beneath a normal life – and you don’t mind slow-burn tension – this movie delivers. The central performance by Viggo Mortensen carries the entire weight of the dual identity theme. Critics at the Guardian (established editorial outlet) have praised the way Cronenberg deconstructs the American everyman myth.

The upshot: A History of Violence remains one of the most discussed thrillers of the 2000s, not because of its body count, but because of the silence that follows each act of violence.

Is A History of Violence on Netflix?

Current streaming options

• Available on Amazon Prime Video as of 2025 (IMDb).
• Not currently streaming on Netflix (was previously available but removed reportedly in 2023).
• Also available to rent or buy on Vudu, Apple TV, and Google Play.

Why was it removed from Netflix?

Streaming rights expire periodically. The exact reason for removal hasn’t been officially disclosed, but it’s common for catalog titles to cycle between services. According to discussions on Reddit (community forum), users noted its disappearance in 2023 without an official statement.

The pattern is clear: for reliable access, a purchase or rental on a platform like Prime Video is safest.

Is Tom Actually Joey?

Tom Stall’s hidden past

The twist that defines the entire film: small-town diner owner Tom Stall is revealed to be Joey Cusack, a former Philadelphia gangster who escaped his violent past and built a new identity. After Tom kills two criminals in self-defense, a man named Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris) arrives claiming Tom is the same Joey he once knew (Cinephilia & Beyond, film analysis publication).

Joey Cusack’s criminal history

Joey was a ruthless enforcer for the Philadelphia mob, known for extreme violence. The film shows flashbacks of his past, including a haunting scene where he kills a man with a shotgun. His transformation into Tom is a complete rejection of that life.

The reveal and its implications

The film doesn’t let the audience off the hook with a simple good/evil binary. Tom is both father and killer. Viggo Mortensen told IMDb trivia (film database) that he played the role as “the same person with two sides of a coin.” The tension lies in whether Tom can truly be different from Joey.

What Is the History of Violence Based On?

The 1997 DC graphic novel

The film is adapted from the graphic novel written by John Wagner and illustrated by Vince Locke, published in 1997 by DC Comics’ Paradox Press (Wikipedia). The comic is more graphic and includes subplots involving the mob and a supporting character named Leland.

Differences between film and comic

Major changes include the removal of a side story about a vigilante, a more explicit depiction of Tom’s violent past, and a different ending. In the comic, Tom’s wife walks away from him at the final dinner; in the film, she hands him a plate, suggesting tentative acceptance but leaving the emotional outcome ambiguous (Book and Film Globe, film critique site).

The implication: Cronenberg chose ambiguity over closure, making the film a more potent meditation on forgiveness and denial.

What Happens to Joey in the End?

Final confrontation with Richie Cusack

Joey travels to Philadelphia to face his brother Richie (William Hurt), the gangster who put a hit on him. In a brutal fight, Joey kills Richie with a shotgun. The scene is shocking for its sudden, raw violence.

Joey’s return to his family

Covered in blood, Joey returns home to his wife Edie (Maria Bello) and children. They sit down to dinner. The silence is heavy. The camera lingers as Edie passes him the plate, then cuts to his son’s fearful face.

Ambiguous ending

No one speaks. The ending does not resolve whether the family can ever trust him again. According to analysis from No Film School (film education platform), the dinner scene replaces action with quiet reflection, leaving the question of redemption open. School of Visual Arts (academic institution) notes that the film leaves the outcome ambiguous regarding whether Tom’s family will fully accept what he has revealed.

The catch: the film refuses to tie a bow on Joey’s story. That’s what makes it linger.

Pros and Cons of Watching A History of Violence

What We Know and What’s Unclear

Key Quotes from the Cast and Crew

“The film is about the potential for violence that exists in everybody.”

— David Cronenberg, speaking to The Guardian (established editorial outlet)

“Tom and Joey are the same person, but the performance had to show the two sides of a coin.”

— Viggo Mortensen, in IMDb trivia (film database)

These two perspectives – Cronenberg’s framing of universal violence and Mortensen’s depiction of a fractured identity – capture what makes the film resonate two decades later.

Related reading

• Blast from the Past: Meaning, Movie, and Where to Watch It – a parallel film analysis piece covering meaning, movie explanation, and streaming info.
• Good Movies on Hulu: 15 Best to Watch Today (May 2026) – an evergreen curated list where A History of Violence could naturally cross-reference for viewers looking for their next watch.