"A most violent year" is situated in the New York of the early 80's. A New york that is violent and in decay, a New York we know from "Taxi driver" (1976, Martin Scorsese).
Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) runs a transportation business in fuel oil and tries to do this with integrity. The ethics of his competitots however is on a less high level and so his drivers are confronted with hijackings. His wife Anna Morales (Jessica Chastain) fears that the violence wil escalate and threates their family life.
This is the starting point of the film. During the film more and more cracks appear in this appearance. Director J. C. Chandor presents these cracks in a very casual manner, as if detached from the main story. To give an example on a nightly drive home the Morales run over a deer. Anna says that it is better to put the deer out of his misery, but Abel find this hard to do. After some moments Anne steps out of the car and shoots the deer. After this incident you look at Anna with different eyes.
For me this is the strongest point of the film. There are a number of small events that have nothing to do with main plot, but change our view on the main characters. This different view on the main characters on his turn certainly alters the main plot
At the end of the film we ask ourselves if the family Morales is really that different from the family Corleone ("The Godfather trilogy", 1972, 1974 and 1990, Francis Ford Coppola).
Elements that reinforce this question are:
The role of the in house lawyer Andrew Walsh (Albert Brooks), almost a "consigliere" like Tom Hagen in "The Godfather" The meeting with the competitors like the meeting with the heads of families in the "Godfather".
The entanglement of crime and politics. Compare the role of District Attorney Lawrence (David Oyelowo) in "A most violent year" with that of Senator Pet Geary in "The Godfather part II".
After showing unethical behaviour in the financial economy with "Margin call" (2011) director J. C. Chandor focuses on the real economy in "A most violent year".
New York may have been in decay in the early 80's, the images of cinematographer Bradford Young are very beautiful. Certainly when the landscape is covered with snow.
Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) runs a transportation business in fuel oil and tries to do this with integrity. The ethics of his competitots however is on a less high level and so his drivers are confronted with hijackings. His wife Anna Morales (Jessica Chastain) fears that the violence wil escalate and threates their family life.
This is the starting point of the film. During the film more and more cracks appear in this appearance. Director J. C. Chandor presents these cracks in a very casual manner, as if detached from the main story. To give an example on a nightly drive home the Morales run over a deer. Anna says that it is better to put the deer out of his misery, but Abel find this hard to do. After some moments Anne steps out of the car and shoots the deer. After this incident you look at Anna with different eyes.
For me this is the strongest point of the film. There are a number of small events that have nothing to do with main plot, but change our view on the main characters. This different view on the main characters on his turn certainly alters the main plot
At the end of the film we ask ourselves if the family Morales is really that different from the family Corleone ("The Godfather trilogy", 1972, 1974 and 1990, Francis Ford Coppola).
Elements that reinforce this question are:
The role of the in house lawyer Andrew Walsh (Albert Brooks), almost a "consigliere" like Tom Hagen in "The Godfather" The meeting with the competitors like the meeting with the heads of families in the "Godfather".
The entanglement of crime and politics. Compare the role of District Attorney Lawrence (David Oyelowo) in "A most violent year" with that of Senator Pet Geary in "The Godfather part II".
After showing unethical behaviour in the financial economy with "Margin call" (2011) director J. C. Chandor focuses on the real economy in "A most violent year".
New York may have been in decay in the early 80's, the images of cinematographer Bradford Young are very beautiful. Certainly when the landscape is covered with snow.