A Most Violent Year

Plot synopsis:
In 1981 New York, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is the owner of an up-and-coming company which has suffered the hijacking of several trucks, each carrying heating-oil worth thousands of dollars. One driver, Julian (Elyes Gabel), is severely beaten when his oil truck is hijacked by two unknown assailants. Abel's wife, Anna Morales (Jessica Chastain), beseeches Abel to fight violence with violence, but Abel refuses. Morales and his company are under investigation by Assistant District Attorney Lawrence (David Oyelowo), who seems determined to expose price fixing, tax evasion, and various other illegalities committed by Morales and his competitors in the heating oil business.
As a way to secure financial independence for himself and trump his competitors, Abel, with the help of his attorney, Andrew Walsh (Albert Brooks), brokers a deal with a group of Jewish Chassidim, led by Josef Mendellsohn (Jerry Adler), to purchase a fuel oil terminal on the East River. This will allow Morales' company to directly import fuel oil from barges and to store far more oil in the summertime when fuel oil prices are lower. He places a large down payment of 40% on the property with the agreement that he will close in 30 days—if he fails to do so, the Chassidim will sell the terminal to one of Morales' competitors and keep the down payment.
After moving into a new home, Morales prevents what appears to be an attempted burglary, but the next day one of his daughters finds a loaded handgun dropped in the bushes by the perpetrator. Suspecting this intimidation is coming from his competitors, he begins to confront them one by one; each one denies any intimidation and theft to drive him out of business. The head of the Teamsters encourages Morales to arm his drivers with handguns and fake permits that he can secure for him. Morales refuses, believing that such a move could bring down even more heat on his operation from the authorities and potentially ruin his legitimate business connections with a bank financing his business.
Returning to work after weeks of rehabilitation, Julian is again accosted by criminals, this time on the Queensboro Bridge in broad daylight. Carrying a firearm without Abel's knowledge or permission, he engages in a shootout with the hijackers, which results in the police arriving and chasing Julian and the other assailants, who all escape. This incident once again shifts Morales and his company into the spotlight of not only ADA Lawrence, but also the bank, which informs him that due to the impending criminal indictments and this unfortunate public incident, it can no longer finance his purchase of the terminal.
Desperate, and needing $1.5 million to close on the property, he approaches his competition, Saul Leftkowitz and his granddaughter, who agree to give him a $500,000 loan for 20% interest and equity in the company for the term of the agreement. He manages to scrounge up another $200,000 by taking out a mortgage loan against an apartment building that he and his younger brother own together. With time winding down quickly, he intercepts a radio call for help from one of his drivers, who states his truck is being hijacked. Being nearby, he pursues the stolen truck. Eventually catching up to and attacking one of the hijackers, Morales demands to know who the mastermind is. The hijacker denies he was hired by anyone but reveals that he sold his last stolen shipment in Far Rockaway. Morales confronts one of his competitors, who has facilities in Far Rockaway, threatening to alert the federal authorities as the stolen fuel is marked. The competitor agrees to pay Morales more than $200,000 for stolen fuel oil.
As Morales is getting closer to his $1.5 million goal, he visits mafia-affiliated Peter Forente (Alessandro Nivola) to ask for another $600,000. Forente agrees to give Morales the loan, but on very unfavorable terms. Dismayed by having to leverage his company to such a high degree in order to secure the loan, Morales begins to inform his wife, only to learn she has been "skimming" from the company for years and has been hiding the money, which is sufficient to cover the amount of money that Forente had agreed to lend, in a secret account.
Having the money he now needs, Morales and Walsh pay off his creditors and secure the terminal. As Abel, Anna, and Walsh are looking over the property, they are approached by an angry Julian carrying a gun, who blames Morales for his problems, believing that he should also be entitled to some of Morales' good fortune. Despondent by his being a wanted man, Julian commits suicide in front of Abel, Anna, and Walsh. As the police show up with ADA Lawrence to investigate the suicide, Morales expresses that the broader investigations into his firm are hurting his business, and that they should find a conclusion at some point. Lawrence agrees in general terms and suggests that this new fuel oil terminal will propel Morales' business and give him "political influence." Lawrence then suggests that Morales might be able to help him with his higher aspirations. Morales claims that he has always done "the most right thing".

Tags: violence

Review:
The murders themselves are not the story, but we hear about them anytime one of the characters turns on a radio.Now this set-up may sound like a glorified TV movie, but A Most Violent Year is so much more.
Coincidentally, Isaac is slated to appear in the new Star Wars picture, which hits theatres next fall.Jessica Chastain is also excellent as Morales' wife – a decent-hearted lady who wishes her husband were a little more daring in his business dealings.
It's a bit of a modern-day film noir, cast in dimly-lit interiors, with characters who speak in hushed tones about important matters, occasionally bursting into the sunny yet unpredictable and unnerving outside world.The only thing I didn't like about A Most Violent Year is its title.
While Hustle sets the scene with humor and style, Violent is happy to understate lawlessness and concentrate on the dialogue, which has undercurrents of corruption in each syllable.Oscar Isaac plays immigrant, oil delivery company owner, Abel Morales, with an Al-Pacino veneer that goes low key, not Godfather or Scarface operatic.
But Morales deals with it in a civilized, diplomatic way that of course makes him and his employees vulnerable to the rude, irrational hoodlums.Director J.C. Chandor knows minimalist dialogue, apparent in his All is Lost, where Robert Redford gives out with one line but an Oscar worthy performance anyway.
Having seen it a few days ago, the more I think of "A Most Violent Year", the more I like it.This is not a spoiler, but a friendly tip: don't expect a lot of what the title implies, because the movie does not focus on violence.While there are tense and violent moments, the movie's strenght lies in the performances and the interactions between characters.Oscar Isaac plays Abel, a businessman who is trying to make a clean living while being more and more pressured by an unknown threat.
Abel is a man who tries to have a firm moral compass, believing in the good of people and resisting the temptation to give into complete and total corruption, despite being heavily influenced to do so by his wife Anna (Jessica Chastain).On top of the company losing money with every hijacking, a District Attorney named Lawrence (David Oyelowo) is in the process of investigating Standard Oil's fraudulent activity, such as price fixing and tax evasion.
The idea that large-scale business operations and closed-door corruption exist in unison is by no means a new idea, but Chandor magnifies the idea through an intriguing lens, giving us a character that is trying to function on this dirty playing field and learning this idea the hard way.Abel, at times, acts like Job, if we're going to toy a bit with the name of Abel, presuming it has biblical relevance here.
Abel's morality is tested on various occasions, and like Job, in some respects, he tries to stay true to what he believes, but once he recognizes he's in a business that demands risk and self-interest, it's difficult for him to stay on this particular path of righteousness.It only helps that Abel's struggle is humanized and brought to life by a character actor as powerful and talented as Oscar Isaac.
Isaac's portrayal of a man grappling with all he can bear is powerful stuff, and it's these ordinary little, true-to-life inclusions that make him explode on screen.He's so good that it makes me wish Chastain was given more of a character here instead of the instigating wife.
The main reason we all watch films and television, is to be entertained, and unfortunately with A Most Violent Year, it feels like we have been left wanting.You never really get to appreciate 1980s New York, a couple of panoramic skylines don't really cut it.
A Most Violent Year is a strong, character-driven drama that's lifted infinitely by terrific lead performances by Oscar Isaacs and Jessica Chastain, inflating what could have been a tiresome, trite look at one man versus the world in an unkind city.Abel Morales (Isaac) runs Standard Oil, and he has his eyes on some prime waterfront real estate.
In fact, the only direct evidence of organized crime in the movie centers around Abel's competition - men who would do anything to maintain and/or increase their share of the lucrative oil business in the city.Both Isaacs (Inside Llewyn Davis) and Chastain (Interstellar) deliver powerful performances that manage to be both relatable and fascinating.
He never seemed like a leading man type, but after seeing him in Inside Llewyn Davis and this, I'm having a change of opinion.David Oyelowo is another one I need to watch out for, although it's not hard, as he's been appearing in a lot of films, and gives a great performance no matter how small his supporting role isThe lovely Jessica Chastain is in the movie as well, being very brilliant and very sexy.
I only wish she had more time on screen cause she's lovely to watch in all aspects.The film also stars Albert Brooks in a role I feel he got because of his outstanding performance in Drive.It's a very quiet movie with a lot of the drama coming from things not said but suggested.
It would be interesting to hear why they didn't grant it an nomination because it is truly a magnificent picture.Oscar Issac stars as Abel Morales, a business man who owns a oil company, who has finally reaches the big time.
Chandor's, A Most Violent Year, is the second of two films released in the past week, the first being Ex Machina, that include Star Wars -bound Oscar Isaac, who is slowly becoming one of my favourite actors.
The film is set during the latter stages of 1981 New York, a time in which, statistically, crime rates reached an all time high, particularly those consisting of a rather violent ilk, and tells the story of Abel Morales, who attempts to expand his business by purchasing a new, and valuable, piece of land.
Within my review for Ex Machina, I stated Isaac's performance was, "top notch," and the same can be said for his performance in this film, with his portrayal of a character, who, although the title suggests otherwise, attempts to stay within the boundaries of the law despite all of the ongoing threats to him and his business, being simply brilliant.Adding to this brilliance, is Jessica Chastain, who plays the role of Anna Morales superbly, and who, in contrast to her husband, is no stranger to violence thanks to her father's gangster background.
These strong performances help keep the film going, particularly when it is at its' weakest, with the rather shallow plot taking a while to kick in, and just slightly stretching its' two-hour run-time.Overall, A Most Violent Year, is J.
A Most Violent Year stands out thanks to some fantastic performances from a talented cast, some beautiful grayish camera work from Bradford Young (Selma and Ain't Them Bodies Saints), a great production design which recreates New York City in the early 80's in a very realistic way, and of course a strong and gritty screenplay written by Chandor.
The film focuses on Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) an immigrant and uprising owner of a private oil company who is trying to close a deal on an important property which would boost his business.
In addition to Isaac, Chastain and Oyelow, other actors deserve recognition for their work here: Albert Brooks is Abel's consigliore, in a style reminiscent of his Drive character; Alessandro Nivola is the most frightening type of gangster – the quiet, powerful kind; Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace) is outstanding in her only scene; Elyes Gabel captures the frustrated driver looking for hope; Peter Gerety is spot on as the Teamsters lead; and Jerry Adler is a most unusual Jewish business man.The camera work of cinematographer Bradford Young (Selma) helps make the style and story work.
The plot sees someone making moves within the oil business and trying to keep his own moral sensibility while all the time surrounded by corruption and violence from others in the business; the title refers to the year the film is set – which happened to be the most violent year in the history of New York crime.Like many, this did mislead me somewhat, and perhaps this is why I did have some big reservations about the film.
Morales has to sustain pressure on all fronts to attain the success he so eagerly desires.The themes and even the visual style of "A Most Violent Year" are reminiscent of many crime films of the 70's and early 80's, in particular "The Godfather Part II": not only for the lighting (shadows over the characters' eyes) and color palette (dark yellow and brown), but also due to Oscar Isaac's Abel Morales, whose overall conduct and mannerisms recall a young Michael Corleone.This film isn't another generic crime thriller with lots of explosions and shootouts; it builds on suspense, at a steady pace, as it tries to push its main character over the edge.
Morales gets himself deeper and deeper in trouble, as he refuses to answer violence with violence.Truth to be told, the trailer and the title cheat quite a bit: If you're looking for a very violent gangster movie, with plenty of bloody and explicit scenes, this is not your film.
Oscar Isaac perfectly carries the dramatic weight of the film, displaying wide credibility and aplomb, and I was also left impressed by Jessica Chastain's performance as his character's wife.
Even though A Most Violent Year doesn't fulfill with what the title promises, it offers us something more interesting: a mature and satisfactory story which deserves to be appreciated despite some dull moments and occasional dramatic stumbles (like a certain scene near the ending which feels a bit exaggerated and unnecessary).
With his debut in 2011 with the brilliant dramatization of the early beginnings of the GFC in the Oscar nominated Margin Call, his follow up with the brave and well liked All is Lost and now with the critically acclaimed and somewhat forgotten about third feature A Most Violent Year, filmmaker J.C. Chandor is very quickly becoming one of the industry's brightest young talents and a model of consistency.Quite possibly the least gangster gangster film ever made, A Most Violent Year sees Chandor enhance his directional abilities to all new levels and where Margin Call saw him master the art of the script and his actors and All is Lost the art of storytelling almost entirely through visuals, A Most Violent Year sees a combination of highly impressive elements combine to create one of the year's most fully formed and competent films.A Most Violent Year is one of the those films that's so finely constructed, you'd be hard pressed to find a single weak component, right down to the way in which violence doesn't drive the film as the title may suggest, merely plays out in its background as a master puppeteer, as heard frequently in the radio chatter our characters listen to.
Isaac's interplay with all involved here is incredible and with Jessica Chastain's feisty turn as Abel's not easy to read wife Anna, A Most Violent Year will keep those viewers that are willing to enjoy the slowly rising tensions on offer, glued to their seats with anticipation.There are some very slight narrative missteps that stop A Most Violent Year from becoming a near perfect example of both a morality tale, a tale of ambition and a dramatic thriller of the highest calibre but as it stands Chandor's film is one of the year's most impressive all round productions that plays out against the backdrop of an intriguing, violence infested, true to life time in the history of New York City, where men and women like Abel and Anna battled daily for their survival both metaphorically and figuratively.4 and a half unhelpful dogs out of 5.
Oscar Isaac, who was quite likable in Inside Llewyn Davis and even stronger here, does a fine job as Abel Morales, head of a New York City heating oil company; Jessica Chastain, always good, plays his wife.
Though it has been proved several times throughout our history that nice guys finish last, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is determined to be a good man and a successful business executive.
If we are ever bored with the film itself (which is a seldom concern), we aren't with Chandor, who gives every shot a great deal of grimy beauty and venomous snap.Matching Chandor's rising talents are Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac, college classmates whose careers seem to be hitting their peaks at the exact same time; Chastain announced her presence to the world in 2011 with an impressive six movie run (including "The Tree of Life" and "The Help"), and Isaac, coming out of nowhere, made himself an actor for the ages as the titular character in 2013's "Inside Llewyn Davis".
Oscar Isaac plays Abel Morales, the owner of a heating oil delivery company who quite ambitious but also cautious in the way he does business.
Chandor produces his finest effort yet with "A Most Violent Year" featuring two powerhouse performances from Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain.Chandor gets his hands on some of the most talented and undervalued people in the film business for A24's newest venture.
How this picture wasn't recognized by the Academy is beyond me.This is a story of a wealthy and ambitious businessmen struggles to extend his business while in a mean time trying to save it in the first place and all of this taking place in year 1981, which was one of most violent years in New York city's history.
Oscar Isaacs certainly comes on like a young Pacino in the role of Abel Morales, an immigrant striver who's married the boss's daughter (Jessica Chastain, in vintage Armani) and taken over the family business—only it's fuel oil, not olive oil, and the setting is the grubby Greenpoint waterfront (a few miles upstream from Terry Malloy's "North River"), not Little Italy.
This solid, involving film is a genre all to itself—part old-school working-class epic, like "They Drive by Night" (1940; the one where Bogart and George Raft are truckers); there's a fabulous car/truck/subway chase reminiscent of "The French Connection" and some nice edgy scenes between Abel, who takes pride in taking "the path that's most right," and his wife, Anna, who wants to call in her Family (with a capital F) to take care of the inventory shrinkage that's bleeding their business dry.
(Seems like w/d J.E. Chandor was trying for a less dysfunctional version of the spats between Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence in "American Hustle.") A subplot involving Abel's protégé, a Latino driver who panics when things get rough, seems a little stagy and contrived, and the film loses some momentum in the final scenes, but all in all "A Most Violent Year" is well worth watching.
-The story was really compelling and well written.-The pace, being one of the only things I can complain about, did have a pretty slow start, but got better.-The acting was just below Oscar good, with Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain doing a great job!
I also loved having a lead I did not feel bad rooting for.-The music, which paid respects to older crime dramas, was really good and held up the compelling characters, scenes, and writing well.-The film doesn't have a lot of action in it, and I really should not call it a crime flick, but I'm not exactly sure what to call it.
Oscar Isaac, looking more like a young Al Pacino than ever before, plays Abel Morales, a heating oil magnate in 1981 New York.
Based on that time period, the film, A Most Violent Year, centres on the lives of Abel (Isaac) and Anna Morales (Chastain) as they try to expand their business and capitalise on opportunities.
I should say, in correction partly, the lead character Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), who in the course of a couple of weeks sees everything he has starting to crumble: a new business venture he's been working for years to get (a major piece of waterfront property), indictments pending (good old investigator with his own political side played by David Owoyelo), and problems with his oil-truck drivers being hijacked and beaten.
This is violent in the way that Lumet's Prince of the City or one of his gritty New York city thrillers were: it's mostly people talking, trying to be calm, trying to rationalize, and yet there's always the sense that something sinister is at work, of a paranoia with the criminal elements at play.What makes it so engrossing for me is the consequences, the stakes for this character of Abel.
This is a crime drama set in the New York winter of 1981; that was the most violent year recorded in the city's history and gives the film its title.
Oscar Isaac plays Abel Morales an Hispanic immigrant who has worked his way up to be a major player in the fuel oil business.
Like these, "A Most Violent Year" depends, not on action, extreme violence or sex but on a good story, a brilliant script, intelligent direction and a host of superb performances.Oscar Isaac, (getting better with every film), is Abel Morales, owner of his own oil company and in the throes of a deal that will greatly expand his empire, who finds he is also the subject of a number of hi-jackings of this trucks, possibly organized by his competitors.
"If they offer tea or coffee, ask for tea because we have to look like the best." Chastain does her usual good work but her character is so changeable from one scene to the next, that it is hard to figure out whether her relationship with Abel is a business deal or whether there is actually some affection involved.While the film builds an undercurrent of tension that keeps us paying attention, something seems to be missing.
In A Most Violent Year we meet immigrant businessman, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac).