Movie: A Most Violent Year

A Most Violent Year: a riveting drama.  The film takes place in NYC in 1981.  The title does not derive from an abundance of violent scenes; a summary of the storyline would not focus on violence but on the tale of an immigrant trying to do right by his family and working to succeed in his business.  The films’ title refers to an ambience that is present throughout the film; radio broadcasts of numerous, violent NYC incidents unrelated to the underlying story and the extreme graffiti that embellished certain sections of NYC’s subways are given prominence.  This undercurrent of violence creates the mood and tone against which this story is told.  Oscar Issac plays the lead character, Abel Morales, and Jessica Chastain plays his wife, Anna.  At the opening, Abel is paying a non-refundable deposit to purchase certain waterfront commercial property from an Hassidic owner.  Abel has 30 days to close the transaction or he forfeits his money; the clock is ticking.  We learn that Abel and Anna have 3 daughters and that Anna’s father has a criminal history.  We also learn that Abel has grown his business by doing things “the right way”.  Still, Abel and his competitors are the target of a government investigation into the home oil heating business.  David Oyelowo, in another excellent performance, plays the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the investigation.  The final ingredient in the plotline is that someone is hijacking Abel’s trucks causing him to lose significant revenue.  The 125 minute film is written and directed by J. C. Chandler, whose last picture, the Robert Redford film All is Lost, was one of my favorites from 2013.  Chandler skillfully presents what turns out to be a complex story.  Some of the credit goes to the director of photography, Bradford Young.  The actors also deserve high praise, including Albert Brooks as Abel’s lawyer.  Prior to this film, I had not been particularly impressed with Oscar Isaac, however, in this film, playing a Robert De Niro/Al Pacino type of character, he delivers.  Oyelowo’s time on screen is limited but he has your attention every time he appears.  Also, in this film, the musical score complements the mood Chandler creates and the actors deliver.  Every year there is one film that fails to receive any Oscar nominations but is better than many which do.  For 2014, that film is A Most Violent Year.  Do not let the title stand in your way of seeing this remarkable movie.