Review of A Most Violent Year (2014) by Indi V — 07 Feb 2015

This is one confusing film. There's a lot of talent, a story that should be decent, yet the film is a mess.

The film's script is all over the place. Scenes that are quiet and somber one second become big and loud the next. There's a way to pull this off, but this film can't do it. The main focus of the story is about a man trying to maintain an honest business in the chaotic violence surrounding him. Nothing wrong with that, but the film does start juggling too many plot points and storylines and resolves them either half-heartedly or attempts to pull of a shocking ending that comes across as laughable rather than unexpected.

The dialogue is really weak, too. Make a drinking game of how many times characters say "I know" or "You're probably right". You'll be dead in an hour. Oscar Isaac's performance suffers a bit, too. The guy goes from zero to shouting too easily. It's a shame. He's pretty solid when he's not required to shout at someone.

Most of the violence is implied rather than shown, and for a title called A Most Violent Year, couldn't the story take place over a year instead of 33 days?

If there is one bright spot, it's Jessica Chastain. She gives a great performance.