10 Greatest Plot Twists In The History Of Cinema
9. A History of Violence (2005)
The Plot: Family man Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) becomes a local celebrity when he successfully (read: violently) fends off two criminals who try to hold-up his coffee shop. The media coverage that follows leads Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris) to Tom, who claims Stall isn't the mild-mannered man he comes across as, but instead a violent mobster he knew back in Philadelphia.
The Twist: Not much to say here: Tom is who Fogarty says he is.
Why Its Great: If it doesn't sound like much of a twist, then keep in mind that Stall spends the first half of the film convincing us he has no idea what Fogarty is on about. Its testament to Mortensens acting that we almost believe him, too. But while the title basically gives it away, and while the twist comes half-way through, this one remains great because it plays to the idea alluded to in the introduction: we basically know the twist, but when Stall utters the immortal line that confirms it, were still pretty damn surprised.