This film is mildly recommended. (Rating: ☆☆☆) Let us begin... Now is the winter of our discontent...strike that... Then was the winter of our discontent... Specifically New York City, 1981.

A good honest man was hard to find back then. And it seems that the only good honest man existing in this universe is Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), a shrewd entrepreneur fighting the forces of corruption that are rampant all around him. From businessmen to cops, from lawyers to politicians, no one is immune to the avarice and vice that were so prevalent of this era.

Abel wants to live the American Dream. He is in the oil supply business and his successful start-up company has been having difficulty delivering their product as his trucks are being hijacked and the oil stolen. No one can or will help him. His pleas go unnoticed. Perhaps one reason may be that Abel's company is under investigation by an ambitious district attorney (a fine David Oyelowo) and his business expansion efforts are being severely hampered financially. His wife, Anna (Jessica Chastain), fears for her family's safety and believes in violence as any means of self-protection. But her husband is a moral man who appears to be far too naive to his violent bedfellows in this world of business. ￼ A Most Violent Year is a slow-moving crime drama that is far too convoluted that needed. The wheeler-dealings and money transactions, at times, preempt the more interesting action and mystery elements of J. C. Chandor's literate screenplay. Some characters serve as mere plot devices used to help the logistics of the story. The end results are intriguing but never amount to much excitement. One invests much time and effort in the film only to be somewhat let down by the lack of cohesion.

As a director, Chandor captures the eighties look with wonderful period details. The hair, make-up, and clothes give the film a wonderful style of authenticity. He also assembled a fine cast to make his clever dialog evoke a vital sense of naturalism. There is no question about Chandor's filmmaking skills and passion. Unfortunately, this film doesn't emotionally involve the movie-going audience due to his leisurely pacing and some script contrivances.

However, it is the film's acting that is exceptional, with strong support from Albert Brooks, Peter Gerety, and Alessandro Nivola. Giving an especially memorable turn is Elyses Gabel as a frighten driver and loyal friend to Abel and the talented Ms. Chastain. Her nuanced acting allows her character to use Anna's sexuality to full advantage in order to hide a hard-as-nails interior most effectively. But the film belongs to Mr. Isaac who brings a Travolta / Pacino swagger to his complicated role and controls his character's moments of inner turmoil with sudden burst of violence that delineate a man on the verge of a breakdown. (The actor's subtle touch toward the film's bloody climax more than shows Abel's transformation from the tragic occurrences that befall him.)

A Most Violent Year may not fully achieve its goal of uniting story and image, but it is a well- crafted film worth seeing. GRADE: B-

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