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.
This review appeared on The Hollywood News.
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