Review of A Most Violent Year (2014) by John D — 27 Mar 2015

As a precursor to this review, it should be revealed that between crime film classics like The Godfather and Goodfellas, and more recent gems like Killing Them Softly and No Country For Old Men, I count myself a true fan of the genre. And while Oscar Isaac's impressively textured breakout performance in Inside Llewyn Davis had certainly given me a great deal of hope for his role as the reluctant, but driven Abel Morales, this film just didn't deliver.

A surprisingly flat performance from Chastain as Morales' wife, Anna, along with pacing issues, and all-too-familiar conflicts left me feeling as though I was watching a highlight reel paying homage to the best crime-thrillers that came before it at its most interesting moments, and those moments simply fell few and far between.

What investment I had in Morales came from the hint of Pacino's cool and calculated Michael Corleone, yet it felt like more of an impression and less of a performance with its own spirit.

Though the film is shot beautifully, and one gripping chase scene through a dark tunnel did put me on the edge of my seat for a moment, these two highlights just weren't enough to warrant a positive review.

A Most Violent Year is a film I sincerely wanted to enjoy in hopes of putting it on the shelf alongside so many other inspired and romanticized takes on organized crime. Unfortunately, this attempt is simply an offer I can refuse.