Plot
In New York City 1981, an ambitious immigrant fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.
Release Year: 2014
Rating: 7.3/10 (540 voted)
Critic's Score: 85/100
Director: J.C. Chandor
Stars: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo
Storyline
A crime drama set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city's history, and centered on a the lives of an immigrant and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.
Cast: Oscar Isaac -
Abel Morales
Jessica Chastain -
Anna Morales
David Oyelowo -
Lawrence
Alessandro Nivola -
Peter Forente
Albert Brooks -
Andrew Walsh
Elyes Gabel -
Julian
Catalina Sandino Moreno -
Luisa
Peter Gerety -
Bill O'Leary
Christopher Abbott -
Louis Servidio
Ashley Williams -
Lange
John Procaccino -
Arthur Lewis
Glenn Fleshler -
Arnold Klein
Jerry Adler -
Josef
Annie Funke -
Lorraine Lefkowitz
Matthew Maher -
John Dominczyk
Taglines:
The result is never in question, just the path you take to get there.
Country: USA
Language: English, Spanish
Release Date: 31 December 2014
Filming Locations: New York City, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $19,000,000
(estimated)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia: Javier Bardem was cast in the lead role during development. But after some disagreements with the film's direction, Bardem dropped out. Jessica Chastain suggested her former Juillard classmate, Oscar Isaac, who ended up being cast. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 9/10
Read more @ The Awards Circuit (http://www.awardscircuit.com)
At the Museum of Modern Art, New York audiences were treated to the
"New York Premiere" of J.C. Chandor's "A Most Violent Year," as a part
of their Contenders 2014 series. Chandor's previous films "Margin Call"
and "All is Lost" were also screened there over the years. The former
is a well-told story, which garnered Chandor an Oscar nomination for
Best Original Screenplay. The latter, was well-admired, featuring a
beloved turn from Robert Redford, and only managed a single nomination
for Best Sound Editing. 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. Cinematographer
Bradford Young showed his best Terrence Malick-like aesthetic with his
work on "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," probably his most recognized work
up until now. He showed his abilities and the depth of his scope with
the little seen "Middle of Nowhere" from Ava DuVernay in 2012, and
"Pariah" by Dee Rees from 2011. His visual eye is simply remarkable,
and what he captures in Chandor's newest, is some of the DP's most
calculated and precise efforts. New York City, 1981, is the backdrop of
our film, but along with Young's camera work, Chandor's focused
direction and storytelling, and an ensemble that resonates profoundly,
a new character is created before our eyes. Young inhabits the soul of
that character. New York, you haven't felt this alive in cinema in
quite sometime.
One year after delivering THE performance of the year with "Inside
Llewyn Davis," and being passed over by the Academy Awards and several
major guilds, Oscar Isaac hits another one out of the park with his
performance as Abel Morales, a man desperate to achieve the American
dream. Isaac, who is both complex and satisfying, is richly devoted and
impeccably raw. With his work on display, he shoots to the near top of
today's best working actors. Isaac's turn is easily one of the year's
most invigorating and most exciting character studies, revealing only
real and believable behavior. Intelligent, well-mannered, and downright
fantastic, it's one of the best performances of the year.
Jessica Chastain sinks her teeth into another meaty role and bites down
hard as Anna Morales, Abel's wife. Reminiscent of a mixture of Jacki
Weaver in "Animal Kingdom" and Laura Linney in "Mystic River," Chastain
constructs an enigmatic woman, a Lady MacBeth-type, but with an
authentic style that steals the show. There are even elements that call
back to something like Sharon Stone in "Basic Instinct." Definitely
alluring, and inhabiting a sexiness you can't teach in Julliard,
Chastain keeps the audience in the dark but with a complete hypnosis.
She fixates on her motives with a terrifying determination, accompanied
by a gritty script, and sets the screen ablaze word after word, minute
after minute.
The rest of the supporting cast delivers in their brief moments on-
screen including Albert Brooks, David Oyelowo, and Alessandro Nivola.
One of the great finds of the year, at least to those who appreciate a
layered and bravura performance, is that of Elyes Gabel. Making a
living on CBS's "Scorpion," and with some remembering his work on the
first two seasons of HBO's "Game of Thrones," I have to sadly admit to
never hearing of him before (or realizing it was him). As Julian, Gabel
takes on a fully, fleshed out supporting turn, commanding our
attention, and earning every second of screen time. In a just world,
we'd be talking about him as a serious Best Supporting Actor contender.
Gabel is a marvel to witness.
Composer Alex Ebert hits another career high with his score and
original song titled, "America for Me." Ebert channels the tension of
the scene within his composition, knowing exactly when to pull back,
and hit the accelerator full force.
The film is a slow simmer, ferociously brought to a boil, before
unleashing its fury in a third act that is fully engrossing.
Admittedly, it takes some time to wonder if the work is either earned
or necessary. I kept going back to the last few moments, wondering if
what I saw was ultimately satisfying. Days later, it stands out as one
of the key scenes in film from the year overall. There's a brilliance
to what Chandor decides to show and end in those moments.
Unpredictable, and maybe not the note that audience members will want
to go out on, but completely guided.
"A Most Violent Year" is one of the great modern crime thrillers,
ultimately showing itself as one of the most enthralling experiences of
the year. I thoroughly believe that a true Oscar contender is on our
hands in several categories. Visibility, and a love for the movies, are
the only requirements to enjoy this gem. A great piece of art that all
should treat themselves to.
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