Director: J.C. Chandor
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola, Albert Brooks, Elyes Gabel
Cert: 15
Running Time: 120 mins
Features: Commentary with J.C. Chandor, Neal Dodson & Anna Gerb. Featurettes, Behind The Violence (Making Of), The Contagious Nature Of Violence (Director Interview), Conversations With Oscar Isaac & Jessica Chastain, Trailers/TV Spots, Deleted Scenes, Behind The Scenes Photos
Imagine if Sidney Lumet had directed THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY. That instead of a blood-soaked gangster thriller about a man trying to better himself with guns and fists you had something more thoughtful, yet just as sinister. Writer/director J.C. Chandor’s third film takes the backdrop of New York at the outset of 1981 – the notorious year of the title – and uses it as context for the engrossing story of an entrepreneur trying to operate the cleanest way possible in the murkiest of environments.
Oscar Isaac plays Abel, who runs a heating oil company and finds himself in a dilemma when delivery driver Julian (Elyes Gabel) is hijacked by armed thugs and the fuel stolen. His wife, mobster’s daughter Anna (Chastain), wants him to man up and take the battle to his enemies, but he’s looking for the “most right” way to handle the situation. “Most right” instead of “right” – that definition is key to the way Isaac thinks and to how he goes about eventually resolving his woes as it becomes increasingly clear he’s being targeted by unknown competitors.
Though the performances are all good (showcasing a trio of actors who are going to be important over the next few years), it is Isaac who forms the core of the movie. His dilemma is a fascinating one – despite his attempts to follow a code and not resort to violence he is steeped in it, and to a certain extent has entered willingly into a warzone in the first place. Right hand man Albert Brooks describes an investigation by the DA (Oyelowo) as a “badge of honour” in a business where getting grime under your fingernails is part and parcel of the game. Abel is a purveyor of threats and intimidation when it comes to his own interests, and with Isaac’s contained intensity it’s only a matter of time before things get physical. His dual nature is what makes A MOST VIOLENT YEAR so interesting.
Chandor and cinematographer Bradford Young recreate the dingy glamour of THE GODFATHER, enhancing the restrained feel of a story that could easily spill over into the extreme but doesn’t. The run-down locations, covered in graffiti, look like they’ve been there for decades (though apparently the vandalism was added in post-production!). Chastain boasts an array of Armani-based looks, and at points resembles Michelle Pfeiffer in Brian De Palma’s SCARFACE, appropriate given the echoes of Moroder-style synthesizer amongst Alex Ebert’s sparse soundtrack, which is both elegant and suggestive of an approaching menace.
There’s a single action sequence involving a chase through a tunnel that works wonders, playing out as an atmospheric riff on THE FRENCH CONNECTION. And while there’s an inevitable human cost paid at the end of the tale, it’s combined with an icy air of self interest, as everyone is revealed to be somewhat fluid in the morality department. All’s fair in business – an apt conclusion to events set in the era of “Greed is good”.
What stops A MOST VIOLENT YEAR from being a classic is the fact you simply don’t engage with the characters. Poor Julian gets the rough end of the deal, but he’s very much a side character. No-one in the main cast has a redeeming feature, and while Isaac’s situation is watchable, you view it as a detached observer rather than someone who cares about what happens. Maybe this was Chandor’s idea, setting the piece as he does at a time when surface became the be and end all of society. However if that’s the intention I still felt rather removed from proceedings.
The features are exhaustive. You get short featurettes giving a thorough insight into the process, some longer sections delving a bit deeper and as a pleasant diversion for fans there’s a friendly chat between Isaac and Chastain, who it turns out went to school together. Crucially there isn’t an abundance of repetition (outside of the promotional clips) and the cast and crew are articulate.
Chandor’s achievement here is taking a genre that in the hands of a lesser director would be a stylistic exercize, and making it breathe again with a bit of intelligence, bringing something new to the table via complex characters and a mature sensibility. You won’t be rooting for these people, but their scenario will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
[usr=4] A MOST VIOLENT YEAR is out on DVD & Blu-ray on May 18th.
