Give me a second, just a second to not be professional. A Most Violent Year is f***ing awesome. It is electrifyingly engaging and has some of the best acting and directing I have ever seen. As far as gangster films go (if you could even call it one), I can't think of a better one besides Goodfellas, and that’s saying something. On it surface, the one thing that holds A Most Violent Year together is Oscar Isaac playing Abel Morales, an immigrant who runs a heating oil company. His company is soon robbed and he starts losing money. He must race the clock before a contract on a loan that could make or break his business expires. This is what makes the entire film so compelling. There is hardly any violence in A Most Violent Year, but the film is more intense than a movie with lots of action because you care about Abel. Unlike many gangster films, the protagonist is an honest, hardworking man, and what surprised me most about the film is the fact that it is ultimately optimistic. It believes much like it's main character that honesty no matter what beats you down will always prevail. This essentially makes the film extremely satisfying. The character is a good person, and I liked him. Abel's wife (Jessica Chastain) comes from a mob family, and is not quite as righteous as her husband. She doesn’t play a huge role in the film, but this doesn’t end up mattering too much. The fact that the film is perfect in its use of dialogue only compliments the performances. Abel is one heck of a speaker, and when he brings his honest word to the crooked people around him he hits and hits hard. This dialogue here is electrifying and exciting; I would even argue that almost every scene in this film is perfect. J.C. Chandor of 2013's All is Lost is really coming into his own and doing it perfectly here. The cinematography is spectacular, creating the world of 1981 New York in beautiful shots. I would mainly mention a specific shot where a few men are running down a car-crowded bridge. It's a simple enough event, but the shot itself resulted in an utterly awe-inspiring scene. I sat in my seat completely riveted by the imagery. It's just those simple things done so well. Even the most mundane of things are made out to be spectacular. There's another chase sequence that is also incredible. There was just something so new and fresh about it. This is one of those films like Selma or Boyhood;every aspect was completed so meticulously that any small flaw was barely noticeable. Not much can be said for them other than, "I was incredibly entertained, and I can’t wait to see this again!" I give A Most Violent Year a 10 out of 10. Reviewed by Stephen Tronicek. Edited by Holly Clemons.
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December 2017
CategoriesAuthorHello welcome to FilmAnalyst. My name is Stephen Tronicek, and I really like movies. This is a way to get my opinions out to people. Thank you for visiting. |