A Most Violent Year
28/01/15 Filed in: Cinema
We saw "A Most Violent Year" today. The name relates to the fact that the action takes place during the winter of 1981, which was statistically one of the most violent years in New York's history. That said, I'm not sure that the story is necessarily overly influenced by this fact. It is, I suppose, the scenario in which the story unfolds.
The plot revolves around Abel Morales, played by Oscar Isaacs, and his wife Anna, played by Jessica Chastain. Abel is a self-made man in the heating oil business who is about to pull off a major deal to buy an adjacent oil storage site, with river access, which will facilitate his ambitious expansion plans. Having committed most of his financial reserves to the deposit, he must finalise the deal within 30 days. But some existing problems, in the form of the hijacking of his lorries and the theft of the expensive oil, are aggravated when the authorities seek to indict the company for fraudulent practices.
Fraud or no fraud, the extent of which, if any, is never fully revealed, Abel is seen to take a very moral stance when confronting the problems, refusing for example a teamster's demand that he arms his drivers. Unfortunately one driver, returning to work after a previous hijacking during which he was badly injured, decides to take matters into his own hands. This results in yet further problems for the company, and the withdrawal of support from the bank to finance the remaining purchase price for the new site. Abel is on the ropes, and Anna is losing her patience.
The plot revolves around Abel Morales, played by Oscar Isaacs, and his wife Anna, played by Jessica Chastain. Abel is a self-made man in the heating oil business who is about to pull off a major deal to buy an adjacent oil storage site, with river access, which will facilitate his ambitious expansion plans. Having committed most of his financial reserves to the deposit, he must finalise the deal within 30 days. But some existing problems, in the form of the hijacking of his lorries and the theft of the expensive oil, are aggravated when the authorities seek to indict the company for fraudulent practices.
Fraud or no fraud, the extent of which, if any, is never fully revealed, Abel is seen to take a very moral stance when confronting the problems, refusing for example a teamster's demand that he arms his drivers. Unfortunately one driver, returning to work after a previous hijacking during which he was badly injured, decides to take matters into his own hands. This results in yet further problems for the company, and the withdrawal of support from the bank to finance the remaining purchase price for the new site. Abel is on the ropes, and Anna is losing her patience.
This film isn't a fast-moving drama, but more an unfolding study of one man's steely determination to succeed and to do so on his own moralistic terms, while steering a difficult course through the violence of the day, and the plotting of his competitors. To the point where he almost crosses the line having finally apprehended one of the hijackers.
I enjoyed this film and am, it seems, in good company, as The New York Times was also very impressed, offering it as it's critics' pick. Let's face it, that paper ought to be a good judge of a New York story.
I enjoyed this film and am, it seems, in good company, as The New York Times was also very impressed, offering it as it's critics' pick. Let's face it, that paper ought to be a good judge of a New York story.