A Most Violent Year 2014

     The setting of this film is New York City during the winter of 1981.  This year was one of the most violent crime years in the history of the city.  Abel Morales and his wife Anna are working hard to expand their business of home heating oil delivery.  They have made an offer on a property at the port for easier supply of the heating oil.  He has a set amount of time to come up with the money or he will lose the property and also the down payment.  He has his backers lined up but they start to fold.  The company has had several truck hijacks with the driver pulled out of the truck and the oil sold to another company.  Abel can’t find out who is behind these thefts.

     The basics are solid in this film but there is poor delivery.  The running time is too long, the story is told very slowly and how can viewers really get interested in the home heating oil business?  Gambling, money laundering, racketeering, as in the Soprano series is interesting.  The cover business of trash hauling was not interesting and that was not the feature.  2 ½* (This movie is so-so)

125 min, Action directed by J.C. Chandor with Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Christopher Abbott, Matthew Maher, Albert Brooks, Jerry Adler, Quinn Meyers.

Note:  Imdb 7.1 out of 10, 90% critic 69% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*.

Special Note:  The role of the attorney played by Albert Brooks was originally written for Stanley Tucci.