Review of A Most Violent Year (2014) by Jacob T — 12 Feb 2015

J. C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" has some of the best cinematography (and acting) we've witnessed in 2014. We can credit Bradford Young (who was also the cinematographer on "Selma") and Oscar Isaac for that. Isaac has become a favorite actor of mine. He plays Abel Morales, a wealthy businessman (he's in the oil industry) who wants to become wealthier and more powerful - he's trying to live out the American Dream. There's a catch, though: he wants to achieve all of this in a moral and honest way. His wife, Anna (a strong - and underused - Jessica Chastain), is a bit duplicitous. At times she's supportive, and other times she's quick to mock Abel (she shoots a deer after Abel hit it with his car and hesitated to put it out of its misery with a tire-iron). Some of the film's greatest moments come when they're talking, which usually leads to intense arguing (mostly on Anna's part). Note how Abel (tries to) remain calm every time. We see the anger bubbling up inside him, but if he lets it out then he knows he's turning into someone he doesn't want to be: a criminal.

The film takes place in a muddied-looking New York City in 1981 - one of the most violent years in New York's history at the time (which is where the film's title comes from, obviously). In fact, the violence starts right away as we witness one of Abel's trucks being hijacked at a toll stop. More of his trucks get hijacked, and if that weren't enough, the DA's office ("Selma's" David Oyelowo - in another great performance) is after him as well for tax evasion and other serious legal jargon. He's also in the middle of closing a deal for an oil terminal that will give him direct access to the East River, and greater control over his competitors. He uses his life's savings to place a deposit, and hopes his bank will loan him the rest. When the DA's office closes in, the bank pulls out - leaving Abel to get creative in trying to find ways to secure his contract, and not lose his deposit. Discover the rest for yourselves.

Most of the characters (including Anna) think the best way to fight violence is with violence. Abel is wise enough to know that fighting back would only intensify the violence. Instead, he fights the violence with his words. With the exception of one chase scene - which surely drew inspiration from William Friedkin's "The French Connection.".

It's clear Chandor has tapped into his love and respect of the Great Directors of the 70s - from Francis Ford Coppola (many of the scenes borrow lighting from "The Godfather") to Sydney Lumet (especially the theme of resisting the urge to fight back with violence as witnessed in "Dog Day Afternoon" and even "12 Angry Men") to Friedkin (as witnessed in the film's big chase scene mentioned earlier).

I've read many people describing "A Most Violent Year" as a "mob movie" or a "wanna be mob movie." I disagree with the mob label. This is the story of a man who is surrounded by the mob, but he doesn't allow himself to go down that path. In fact, one of the film's greatest moments comes at the end when Abel tells another character that he's always taken the "most right path" in life. Think about those words: most right. That doesn't say he takes THE right path, but the MOST right path he believes he can take. That's the true power Abel displays - and the best way he fights all the violence.