I would encourage anyone who hasn't heard of this film to NOT look up a trailer for the film and not pay too much attention to the title. What the trailer will lead you to think is that this is an indie-version of what a great Scorsese mob movie would be in the 90s. It leads the viewer to believe that there is going to be a lot of violence, and backstabbing, and craziness... when this isn't the case at all. I was one who thought this is what the movie was going to be. A lot of times when I'm mislead by a trailer and a title, I walk away disappointed and underwhelmed. Thankfully, once I figured out that what I was watching wasn't even close to what I was expecting... I was able to sit back and enjoy the ride and walk away with a different, yet positive feeling about the film.
Classified as a crime drama (and there's certainly more drama than crime), A Most Violent Year tells the story of Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) an immigrant in America in 1981 trying to thrive in his heat oil business-- one of the most corrupt industries of the time. Abel looks like your typical movie mobster, complete with trophy wife, Anna (Jessica Chastain). However, what separates Abel from the rest of the industry is that he prides himself in running an honest business. Unfortunately for Abel, he owes a lot of money on the property and rival companies are hiring outsiders to hijack his trucks, beat his drivers, and steal his gas, which, in turn, ruins any chances at a profit. To add insult to injury, the D.A. (Selma's David Oyelowo) is putting together a case to indict Abel on criminal corruption charges. The movie follows Abel fighting for his business and his family. He actively tries to save his business by finding out who is hijacking his trucks as well as figuring out how to make money in order to to not lose his plant.
We, as moviegoers, have been indoctrinated so far into the crime genre that we expect everything to go wrong for Abel (which it does) until he can no longer be the honest business man that he is and he resorts to violence. However, this is not the case. While we wait for Abel's "true colors" to come out, he is legitimately an honest man getting screwed. His wife, who threatens to get her father and brother involved (we can assume they are members of organized crime), is the scariest figure in the entire film. She's nearly emotionless and way more frightening than Abel or anyone perpetrating the crimes against him. I sat there waiting for her to exact her revenge to make it a most violent year, but it never happens. She's able to brilliantly bring menace to the tone of the film, but never has to use any of it. And, while it may sound like I'm painting the movie in an unflattering and uninteresting light, the film is far from that. It's almost more interesting watching Abel trying to figure out how to get his life and family and business back on track without having to resort to violence. It's a beautifully crafted, and wildly original film.
It's a damn shame that Jessica Chastain was overlooked for an Oscar for her role in the film because she is incredible. The film itself will keep you just a little bit nervous at all times, any scenes she's present in that nervous feeling elevates. She's not an intimidating looking woman, but she wears intimidation on her person with ease. Oscar Isaac is slowly working his way into becoming a very popular actor. We already know he's got immeasurable talent from performances in Drive and Inside Llewyn Davis, but I'm sure by the end of this year after this film and the new Star Wars film, he will be a recognized (and deserved) A-lister. We can expect great things from him.
The film's title refers to the year 1981 which was factually one of the most violent years in New York City's history. And while the film only shows a tiny aspect of that... don't expect the kind of Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed kind of violence you may be used to. It's still a nerve-wrecking ride that's just as fun as the aforementioned films. By the end, while you may have wanted a scene where all the men screwing Abel and his family gunned down by suited-up mobster thugs, you'll realize that A Most Violent Year doesn't suffer from its lack of violence, but inherently succeeds because of it.
A
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