Genre: Film
Grade: A-
Notable People: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, Albert Brooks, David Oyelowo, Directed by J.C. Chandor
Title: A Most Violent Year
Review – I really liked this film. Gritty is the word. Set in NYC in 1981 (the year of Son of Sam) it’s an unusual story about one of the city’s underbellies- the home heating oil industry- which lies somewhere between mom and pop and mob influenced operations. Good vs. evil pervades the story and relative ethics abound. Isaac is wonderful in a very understated role (channeling Micheal Corleone throughout). Albert Brooks is unrecognizable and revelatory and Jessica Chastain goes way outside her bounds to portray a Brooklyn mob guy’s daughter married to a guy ostensibly trying to build the American Dream- while she cooks the books with his blind consent. She surpasses Amy Adams in this role from American Hustle and approaches Lorraine Bracco level from Good Fellas-which is saying something. The movie has Hassidic gangsters too- what’s not to like?