Review of A Most Violent Year (2014) by Christopher Llewellyn R — 30 Jan 2015

The new film from J.C. Chandor ("All Is Lost") is set in New York City in 1981, a time when the Big Apple was rife with crime and decay, and centers on a former truck driver, Abel - played with heart and grit by Oscar Isaac ("Inside Llewyn Davis") - who now owns the heating-oil company for which he once worked and has plans to expand his business. Unfortunately, he also has a host of competitors, some of them with mob connections, and an ambitious D.A. - played by David Oyelowo ("Selma") - threatening to prosecute him for financial improprieties. Things could either go really well for Abel or really badly. Right at the start, they take the latter course.

This is a movie that closely analyzes the politics and opportunities (or lack thereof) for social mobility in late-stage capitalism. As in Chandor's first film, "Margin Call," the director is fascinated by the nitty-gritty details of how institutions operate (in a way, "All Is Lost" was similar, too, if one substitutes "institution" for "survival"). We spend a lot of time watching Jessica Chastain ("Interstellar"), as Abel's Lady Macbeth-like (and mob-connected, herself) wife poring through files (when she's not taunting Abel on how a real man would respond to threats), looking through accounting errors. Crime may be rampant in the big city, but success in business depends as much on will power as in understanding paperwork.

Abel is a wonderful metaphor for what can happen to a person when they pull themselves up by their bootstraps, only to come face to face with the boot makers. He's good at what he does, but will that be good enough? In sharp contrast to Abel's mover and shaker is a fellow immigrant (Abel is originally from South America), Julian - touchingly played by Elyes Gabel (Rakharo on "Game of Thrones") - who doesn't have the same drive (and wife) as Abel, and so is ripe to be used and discarded when his usefulness has expired. Indeed, if the film is, indeed, an exploration of what it takes to succeed in (American capitalist) business, then it's the interactions between these two men that the story is told.

The movie does have its action scenes (yes, violence comes into play), and also a lot of other, fun performances that add a rich texture to the seedy vibe. Albert Brooks is especially fine as Abel's lawyer/consigliere, and Alessandro Nivola brings charm and chill to his role as a Mafioso rival to Abel. It is a powerful film about the temptations of corruption, how to avoid them, and the price we pay when we give into them.