Today’s quick review: A Most Violent Year. After years of effort, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) and his wife Anna (Jessica Chastain) are on the verge of success. All they need to do is close one property deal to secure a future for their fuel company as one of the largest players in the New York market. But disaster strikes when the District Attorney (David Oyelowo) launches an investigation into them just as an unknown enemy begins hijacking their trucks.
A Most Violent Year is a crime drama about an honest businessman whose principles are put to the test by a series of attacks on his company at a critical point in its growth. Abel Morales must resist the temptation to fight violence with violence as the pressure on his company mounts and he begins to run out of legitimate options. A Most Violent Year features strong acting, an unusual moral dilemma, and a tense plot that does without the usual crutches.
A Most Violent Year takes a different approach than most crime dramas. Abel Moraels is not entirely clean, but he’s a far cry from both the criminals he’s up against and the criminal he’s accused of being. He wants to run a legitimate business free from shady deals and violence, but the dire situation he’s in pushes him to the edge. The moral conflict is backed by an impressive performance from Oscar Isaac and a subdued but effective storytelling style.
Still, A Most Violent Year can be too indirect for its own good. The conflict never quite reaches a boiling point, relying on a series of smaller peaks to wrap up its various plot threads. The movie lacks the flash and glamor that other crime dramas bring to the table. That, in turn, keeps it from being as captivating as the best films in the genre, meaning it requires greater investment from the audience for its themes and connections to pay off.
A Most Violent Year is a solid pick for anyone who’s interested in the quiet, dramatic side of the crime genre. A Most Violent Year does manage an indirect sort of tension rooted in the fate of Abel’s principles and his company, but it’s missing the immediate hooks some viewers may be inspecting. Still, those willing to take it on its own terms will find its acting, writing, and presentation to be rewarding.
For a more over tale of criminal enterprise, try Chasing the Dragon. For another tale of a man standing up to criminal violence, try Kill the Irishman.
7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for strong acting, understated drama, and an unusual moral dilemma.