Review of A Most Violent Year (2014) by Lomeli — 26 Apr 2015

It has the atmospheric quality and incisive dialogue of a Godfather movie, but cleverly avoids falling into that familiar territory by subverting the gangster film genre entirely- this a film in which the protagonist has integrity, and is both incorruptible and determined to see his efforts in the local oil industry come to fruition, all the while intent on being an upstanding citizen.

Director J.C. Candor masterfully depicts the struggle between either doing things lawfully, albeit with more difficultly, or succumbing to corruption with ease. The film ultimately suffers from some narrative issues, and director Candor seems ill-suited to deliver the final punch that the movie necessitates after its somewhat lethargic pacing, but overall it is an enthralling, well-acted piece of cinema.