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A Most Violent Year


Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, and David Oyelowo
Directed by: J.C. Chandor
Screenplay by: J.C. Chandor

   It's New York City, 1981.  The city is full of crime and a very dangerous place.  Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), an immigrant businessman, is running a successful heating oil company.  He's about to close a deal that would allow him to be even more profitable by buying a waterfront shipping yard.  He needs more money before the sale is finalized, but when he needs the money most, something goes wrong.
   People are starting to assault Morales's truck drivers and stealing the oil inside them.  Thugs are also coming to Morales's home and threatening him and his family.  Abel is worried about working too hard to find out who's doing it because his company is already so successful that he's caught the eye of the District Attorney's office.  His wife, Anna (Jessica Chastain) who comes from a mob family isn't afraid to do what needs to be done to keep the family and business safe.
   The storyline is very short for this film, but is well detailed as well as drawn out.  Events happen very slowly with dialogue seeming somewhat minimal in places.  If you are not into movies like this, you might find yourself a little bored.  The characterization is minimal as well.  We don't know a whole lot about these characters, and the little we do know about them (sometimes even the important details about characters, like Abel being an immigrant) is often just implied or barely touched on.  For example, I would like to have seen more exploitation of the fact that Abel is an immigrant businessman.
    There is not a single bad acting performance in this film, and in fact it has some of the best overall acting I've seen all year.  Oscar Isaac is fantastic, yet apparently not Oscar worthy according to the Academy.  This is a nomination that should have happened, as well as Jessica Chastain for her role as Anna.  They work incredibly well together and make an excellent on screen couple.  I hope they will make more movies together.  J.C. Chandor directs this film brilliantly, bringing out some classic noir elements that aren't always found in films like this in this day in age.
    A Most Violent Year is one of the movies that has been hard to find since it was released back on New Year's Eve.  But if you can find it, it is absolutely worth seeing!  I cannot recommend this movie enough.  I give A Most Violent Year an A.

Image from Comingsoon.net

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