A Most Violent Year

It's 1981 NYC, and it's not American Hustle. A Most Violent Year is set in the most brutal year in the city's history, when Mayor Koch and the DA would not like it to be so. While Hustle sets the scene with humor and style, Violent is happy to understate lawlessness and concentrate on the dialogue, which has undercurrents of corruption in each syllable.

Oscar Isaac plays immigrant, oil delivery company owner, Abel Morales, with an Al-Pacino veneer that goes low key, not Godfather or Scarface operatic. His double-breasted suits and ever-present camel overcoat suggest the smooth, verbal, charismatic, but unassuming business owner who wants to be as straight as his wardrobe. It's a difficult ideal because someone is hijacking his oil trucks and selling the oil on the black market.

What to do? His wife Anna (Jessica Chastain), beautiful but born to a crime family, is at times more ready to deal with the sabotage in a traditional mob way than her husband is. But Morales deals with it in a civilized, diplomatic way that of course makes him and his employees vulnerable to the rude, irrational hoodlums.

Director J.C. Chandor knows minimalist dialogue, apparent in his All is Lost, where Robert Redford gives out with one line but an Oscar worthy performance anyway. Much more dialogue here, still minimal, but it has the David Mamet attention to the power of each word.

In a world Sidney Lumet depicted quite well, everyone has a brush with lawlessness, from truck drivers to cops to politicians—no one is exempt, except maybe Morales, who tries to do the "best right" thing in the face of pressure to use violence as the tried-and-true technique. That's why this is such a sweet action, crime drama: You can identify with the protagonist and not be bogged down by gratuitous violence.

This is one of the best action-crime dramas in years. Isaac is Pacino without his edginess; Chandor's dialogue is soft Mamet, a welcome substitute for rude bullets. Indeed, while the film is titled A Most Violent Year, it is not the most violent movie. Leave that to Martin Scorsese.

This is a movie I often don't recommend to any of my friends because I truly feel it takes someone with a certain level of appreciation for film and the patience to watch this plot unfold. Now I don't mean for that to come off as snobbish, but this is a movie that could easily be cast off as boring by people who are just looking for an entertaining film. However, if you are a person who possess some level of appreciation for film and would like to see a good, albeit slow tale, I would highly recommend this movie.

The first thing of note in this movie is Oscar Issac's performance. He plays Abel Morales, an entrepreneur who runs a fuel company. He is one of Hollywood's best rising stars, and he shows what he's got in this film. He gives a very subtle, even performance that is reflective of his character, and it works very well. Jessica Chastain is also very good as his wife, and her character's primary motivation is her children and their safety. I felt that she really cared about her kids.

I don'y want to go too much into the story because it is a good one. But the fine details of the story is not what matters. It is the intricacy of the characters that is the important aspect of this film. To see how hard Abel will work for his family and his legacy shows the drive of man, and a sort of twisted sense of the American dream.

First of all let me just say, if IMDb allowed 0.5 votes, this would probably get a 6.5 from me. Where to begin with this one ? Well it's shot well, the cast nail the parts, but from start to finish you are waiting for the film to come to life, and unfortunately it just never does.

Some people will appreciate this film much more than others, but for me it was average at best. The main reason we all watch films and television, is to be entertained, and unfortunately with A Most Violent Year, it feels like we have been left wanting.

You never really get to appreciate 1980s New York, a couple of panoramic skylines don't really cut it. With a bit more substance to the story, better visuals & some period music, this film could & should have been much better.

Sausage1

It's 1981 NYC. Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) owns a fuel delivery company that was purchased from his wife Anna (Jessica Chastain)'s father. He's trying to close a deal to buy a fuel terminal. He tries to do things the most right way but it's struggle in a corrupt industry. Somebody keeps hijacking his fuel trucks and driver Julian (Elyes Gabel) is severely injured. D.A. Lawrence (David Oyelowo) doesn't care. He's tasked with cleaning up the industry and has set his sights on Abel. He is charging Abel mostly due to Anna's corrupt father. Abel has to scramble to get the money for the terminal before he loses his deposit.

I love the fact that this is a gangster except Abel is desperately trying not to be a gangster. Also fuel oil delivery is not the usual backdrop but it works. Oscar Isaac does an amazing job. Some may find the lack of action problematic although there is one great car chase scene. I find the concentration on business really fascinating. His need to raise capital is quite intense. It's a different kind of action. It all works.

I've been amazed at some of the slams this movie has taken. No story? Boring? Slow? You've got to be kidding. This was a fascinating character study of an "honorable man" trying to retain his honor in a corrupt business and political environment. From the title, I was expecting more of a traditional Martin Scorcese gangster flick, so I was surprised (pleasantly) that "violence" of the film was primarily about two codes of life clashing against one another. I can certainly understand a viewer attracted to the film because of the word "violence" ibeing disappointed at seeing so little on the screen. But I found the film riveting: excellent plotting, great writing and superb performances.