Review of A Most Violent Year (2014) by Ryan K — 06 Jul 2015

Writer-Director J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year" is no the most violent picture I have ever seen; in fact, there is not that much violence in it. But that is irrelevant, because Chandor's picture is not much about violence, but on entrepreneur competitive tactics to supersede competitors; even though some of the players involved here do bring violence in the mix. The industry that is showcased here is the oil truck corporation. The year here is 1981 and the city, none other than New York, who in that year there was a myriad of violent acts happening in the Big Apple. Rising Star Oscar Isaac stars as Abel Morales, a oil truck company entrepreneur who is in the process of finalizing a slick deal which will bring his company to the top of the game in the New York Oil Truck market. The problem is that Abel's drivers are being thrown and assaulted in their trucks by a competitor or some other entity. Jessica Chastain co-stars as Anna Morales, Abel's wife who is pretty much the boss of that relationship, and she is the mother f*cker who runs that place. Chandor does drive "A Most Violent Year" in slow mode, but somehow it was the proper gear to propel this story. His screenplay was solid but not even close as one of the best in "a most competitive year" of terrific screenplays in the film year of 2014. However, it was Issac's money starring performance as Abel was what most paramount of "A Most Violent Year"; no doubt the Morales character will remind you of kinder Michael Corleone, but with the same firepower of topping his competitors. Chastain was sound, but a bit underused; and that is never a good thing when we are talking about one of the greatest, if not the greatest, actress working today. I also enjoyed Albert Brooks' showy work as the Morales' lawyer Andrew Walsh; a role that Chandor probably wrote for Brooks' to drive it home; which he did. "A Most Violent Year" is not for everyone, some will find it too slow, but in the end you should set a date with it.

**** Good.