SHORT REVIEW (for people who don't care):

The narrative does not takes place over a time-frame as long as the title would suggest - nor does is it contain as much violence. Instead, what we get is a gritty, realistic, meticulously-written, character-driven crime-drama that's mainly composed of dialogue and a fair bit of action (and lots of running). That being said, I figure that people who tend to favour more flashy/action-packed fare will be disappointed (especially with the pacing). For those wanting a film that casts a harsh shadow on the American Dream and forces us to reflect on the ugliness that comes packaged with an unfair society - look no further. Regardless of who you are, I recommend watching 'A Most Violent Year' at least once.

VERDICT: RENT IT... then buy it if you think the film is worthy of further analysis.

LONG REVIEW: 'A Most Violent Year' stands as another solid entry in Chandor's filmography. Despite this being his third film, this writer-director has already grabbed the attention of the aspiring filmmaker inside me - and has made me keep a close eye on his work.

As the two leads give outstanding performances, the rest of the cast tries it best to be just as fantastic. Oscar Issac gives a damning performance as a business leader struggling to keep himself from becoming someone he'll regret. However, what really makes his performance memorable is the amount of restrain he forces out of his character despite the immense amounts pressure heaped against him on all sides of his life. Not only does Abel have a business to run, but he also has to worry about his employees getting hit, securing loans to expand his company, and a really stringent district attorney (played by the brilliant David Oyelowo) who's suspicious of his company's history. Oh - and then there his family as well. Very rarely does Abel ever lose control; when he does, Issac makes it as satisfying as all hell.

Jessica Chastain? She plays Abel's wife, Anna Morales. She's the sweet, kind, gentle, caring wife that any husband... okay, you're not buying it, are you? If you watch this movie, you'll know why she was nominated for so many awards for this character.

Another element of this film that I really have to commend the filmmakers for is the cinematography. It should be noted that a good portion of the film takes place around snow. As snow is usually really hard to film, Bradford Young did an amazing job of not only composing some of the most amazing wide shots in recent memory, but also reminded me a lot of what Roger Deakins did for Fargo (a film that I really loved). Combined with the production design, it really did feel like Chandor transported me back to what was one of New York's most violent years.