A Most Violent Year will be best enjoyed if you know little about the plot of the film. I say this about a lot of movies, but I highly urge you to maybe skip reading the synopsis on this one. Why? It so adroitly sets up its story, characters, and plot that if you know anything ahead of time part of the charm is taken away. All you need to know is that 1981 was one of the most violent years in the history of New York City and Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), his wife Anna (Jessica Chastain), and their heating business are being dragged into it.
The film takes place at a very specific time in both period and style. It may be set in 1981, a time when New York was a lot more gritty (I know, it's hard to imagine) and unforgiving than now, but the film is stylistically very similar to films of the 70s, one of the greatest decades for cinema. The decade produced some of the best films of all time, however films like The Godfather and Taxi Driver are some of the most memorable. It was a time when the subject matter was as dark as the films' dimly lit sets and their muted color palettes relied on tones only the earth could provide. The mafia ruled the screens and honor and tradition were the main points of conflict. This is why A Most Violent Year succeeds. It is able to so adroitly replicate the slow, but emotional taxing, burn of those films.
Yes, the film may be slow, but you'll never be jaded. J.C Chandor controls the screen with his gripping atmosphere that keeps you guessing. You can never truly rest because the stakes are never lessened, the threats never dissipated, and the enemies never eliminated. What I've continually noticed from Chandor is that he doesn't need a lot to speak thousands in his films. He thrives on the simplicity of dialogue and the simplicity of direction. However, he never shies away from the occasional moments of high intensity action.
I'm hesitant to call the movie a “gangster film” since Abel spends so much of the movie trying to dodge the title, so instead I'm going to consider a social commentary on violence. Between Isaac's Abel and Chastain's Ana we get two very specific opinions on its use, however the film goes so much further than that. Like I said, it's what you make of it.
What I thought the film was trying to say is going to be different from what you think. In my opinion, when you throw in David Oyelowo's Lawrence and Elyes Gabel's Julian, the film becomes a look at success and what will be done to obtain it. It looks at the cruelty of the “American dream.” There's an immigrant Abel who worked an honest living to obtain his father-in-law's company. Julian, also an immigrant, who thinks that he's entitled to the American dream. Then Lawrence, who's true motivations I'm going to hold off on.
A Most Violent Year is going to go over some people's heads. What they will see on screen is a boring crime film that doesn't even have real gangsters in it. They'll be looking for The Sopranos, but they'll get something completely different. It's when you realize that under the dimly lit sets and the bleak color palettes that you realize the movie is as manipulative as its characters.
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