This is going to be one of those films that a lot of people aren't going to like. Not because it's a bad movie, but because the title and the trailer make it sound like it's going to be violent and action filled, that its not. J.C. Chandor (All Is Lost) directs a movie that would be better suited to the decade that the film takes place, as I fear it will be lost in the instant gratification era that we live.
J.C. Chandor seems to be evolving into a filmmaker to be reckoned with now that he has three fantastic movies under his belt that are all very different from each other. Chandor now tackles the gangster crime genre with this tale about the pursuit of the American Dream and the sacrifices we have to make to make it become a reality that concludes in churning out a fantastic crime thriller that echoes classic films like Casino and Goodfellas, but with a very grounded touch.
The acting in this film is excellent all around. Oscar Isaac plays a likable lead as he tries to remain legitimate in the heating oil industry. His plight is fascinating so I rooted for him to see him succeed. Jessica Chastain is amazing as well as Isaac's mob connected wife as she delivers a powerful performance while not going into stereotype. Albert Brooks is great as well as the dare I say it intimidating lawyer and David Oyelowo as the DEA trying to take Isaac down and thankfully does not fall into a stereotype.
The movie is about an honest business owner in a syndicate-controlled industry being tempted into criminal acts to protect his business, and to make matters worse, he has the same hairstylist as Al Pacino in the first Godfather. The dynamic between Isaac and Chastain as they confide and ally with each another on screen is intense and mesmerising to watch. I
If you are looking for a slow, yet compelling drama where you can actually root for the lead and are drawn into compelling scene after scene through good acting and writing, look no further than A Most Violent Year!
7.3/10-IMDb
90%-Rotten Tomatoes
81%-Metacritic
7.5/10-mine
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