"The History of Violence" (Şiddetin Tarihçesi) is a thrilling film directed by the extraordinary filmmaker David Cronenberg, starring Viggo Mortensen in the lead role. The screenplay is written by Steve Knight, who was nominated for an Oscar for "Dirty Pretty Things." Viggo Mortensen, who is a constant collaborator with Cronenberg, takes on the leading role once again.

Nikolai Luzhin (Mortensen) is a mysterious and charismatic Russian man who works as a driver for a ruthless and dangerous family of Eastern European origin in London. The family is part of a criminal organization called Vory V Zakone. Led by Semyon (Oscar-nominated Armin Mueller-Stahl), who holds a respected and untouchable position in all circles, the family controls a luxurious restaurant in the city, which is considered one of the most exclusive places. However, what nobody knows is that this restaurant serves a wild and cruel world, controlled by Semyon's tyrannical and two-faced son, Kirill (Vincent Cassel), who is closer to Nikolai than his own family.

Nikolai's protected life in this powerful circle is completely shaken when he meets Anna Khitrova (Oscar-nominated Naomi Watts), a midwife working at a North London hospital during Christmas time. Anna witnesses the death of a young girl during childbirth and is deeply affected by the incident. Determined to find the baby's remaining relatives, Anna also comes across a diary kept by the baby's mother. However, the diary is in Russian, and Anna doesn't speak a word of the language.

Anna is supported by her mother Helen (Sinéad Cusack) in her quest to follow the trail of the incident; however, her uncle Stepan (Jerzy Skolimowski), who was born in Russia, warns her not to get involved in such matters. And he might be right, as the unfolding of the diary reveals a grim reality. Every page of the diary exposes the terrifying world of the Vory organization.

As Nikolai, who is a man of both Semyon and Kirill's world as well as an insider to the true face of the Vory world revealed by Anna's diary, begins to lose his loyalty and allegiance to his own family, their oppressive behavior starts to destroy his trust in them. The voices of lives lived on the boundaries of murder, lies, and revenge, including