A Most Violent Year Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

A Gritty American Dream: J.C. Chandor’s crime drama channels Mario Puzo through Oscar Isaac’s magnetic restraint. The Godfather is back, ladies & gentlemen. 

Genre: Crime / Drama / Thriller

Director: J.C. Chandor

Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Albert Brooks, Alessandro Nivola, Matthew Maher, Ashley Williams, Elyes Gabel, Christopher Abbott & Jerry Adler.

Run Time: 125 min.

US Release: 31 December 2014 (first limited screening)

UK Release: 23 January 2015

German Release: 19 March 2015

A Most Violent Year is a crime drama set in New York City, directed by J.C. Chandor (Margin Call & All is Lost) and stars Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, Albert Brooks and David Oyelowo. The film was released on March nineteenth, 2015, in Germany, obtaining critical acclaim worldwide, and giving praise to Isaac’s performance as Abel Morales.

Set in the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in New York’s history, the story centres on Abel Morales and his family. A Hispanic businessman and owner of Standard Oil, Morales, tries to close a business deal that will allow him to expand in commerce. As he is close to becoming the leading heating oil distributor in the Big Apple, an eager Assistant D.A. and his competitors threaten to destroy his empire and all he has worked so hard for.

The Godfather Part II is a clear inspiration, and it seems like J.C. Chandor is trying to pay his tribute to one of the most iconic mob films of the twentieth century. The premise not only feels like a Godfather instalment, but it could well take place shortly after the events of the third flick, while Isaac’s performance has been compared to Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone by a lot of critics. Yet it offers its own distinctive tone, especially in terms of the lack of violence that surrounds this drama, contrary to its title.

Something that impressed me deeply is how Chandor managed to keep the tension throughout the narrative, without ever needing to resort to using too much violence or blood. There are occasional fistfights, but it is all depicted in a very professional way.

The movie offers a variety of different characters, with Abel Morales serving as the central anchor of the account. Oscar Isaac made such a strong performance as Abel, truly inflicting a sense of silent threat to his nature. Morales, who obtained Standard Gas through his father-in-law (a person he describes as being a crook), is trying to legitimise the business by swaying away from mafia-like tactics used by his predecessor. Yet at the same time, he is cornered when an unknown rival threatens his drivers and other employees. Still, Morales always tries to take the path that seems “morally right”.

Abel’s wife, Anna Morales (Jessica Chastain), acts as his counterpart. While her husband is the analytical part of their marriage, Anna serves as the emotional segment. Somehow exchanging the parts of Michael and Kay in The Godfather, Anna taunts Abel for his lack of violent action when it comes to protecting his family and business. Jessica Chastain was such a good addition to the cast, always challenging Isaac in their fictional relationship.

David Oyelowo played A.D.A. Lawrence, who is investigating Morales’ business. A self-righteous man, Lawrence is willing to bring down Abel for the wrongs his father-in-law did during the time he was running the company.

The dialogue written for this gangster epic is simply fantastic; it always feels like watching a mob movie, without falling into its clichés. The tension building in this film is thanks to the superbly written script. Isaac’s motivational speech reaches poetic terms, and his pitch given during the meeting with the bank left me shivering. I can honestly say that I haven’t heard such good and realistic dialogues for quite some time.

This film has great cinematography, using a variety of wide angles that merge the surroundings with the story, and only using close-ups during important dialogue scenes. The lighting and colour gave the movie a vintage flair, sending the viewer back to the 80s for the whole runtime of 125 minutes. The music in this movie is up to par, reflecting the lifestyle and culture of 1980s New York. Apart from the incredible written conversations, the score does a great job at keeping the tense atmosphere in this film. The music was composed by Alex Ebert, who cooperated with J.C. Chandor in one of his previous films.

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Verdict: A Most Violent Year was a pleasant surprise for me. It sure has a misleading title, as the violence is kept at an absolute minimum, but what makes this movie truly intriguing is that, as a viewer, you are never able to tell what the main character is about to do next. My recommendation would be to watch the movie at a local theatre. I’ll give it an 8.5  out of 10. 

Have you watched J.C. Chandlor’s latest crime drama? If so, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on it!