In an effort to compose a well-informed Top 10 list for RS, I have been watching a tremendous amount of 2014 films lately. Released on December 31, 2014, A Most Violent Year almost missed the cut of films from 2014 that I wanted to see, but I am so glad I watched it.
I was not expecting A Most Violent Year to impress me as much as it did. Set in New York City in late 1981 (statistically one of the worst periods of violent crime in the city’s history), the film follows an immigrant named Abel Morales (played by Oscar Isaac) as he attempts to satisfy his ambitions and expand his oil truck business. However, someone has been robbing his trucks. The film follows Abel as he tries to get to the bottom of these attacks while also dealing with a federal investigation into his business practices and an equally ambitious wife (played by Jessica Chastain).
On first glance, A Most Violent Year is a period piece that appears to have all the makings of a classic gangster film. The tone and mood with which early 1980’s New York City is portrayed reminded me at points of films like The Godfather and Goodfellas. The pace of A Most Violent Year differs considerably from those films; it is much more of a slow burn. Rather than erupt into an enormous amount of classic gangster violence (as the film’s title might be lead us to believe), there are no extremely violent moments until one of the final scenes. This is mainly due to Abel’s desire to run his business honestly. This was one of the most unexpected elements of this film to me – the restraint shown by Abel. His strong desire to refrain from violence in the midst of a violent city is constantly challenged by his other strong desire to protect his business and his family. Watching Abel wrestle with that tension helps to make this a very compelling film.
Another way in which A Most Violent Year departs from conventions of its genre is the way in which it takes time to reflect on the effects of violence for those around it. During a shootout on a busy New York bridge, one of the antagonists pleads with the other to stop shooting before they kill somebody nearby. This moment was one of many which indicate that this crime film is treating violence in an unconventional manner.
I knew that Chandor had a deeper purpose behind making this film as soon as I watched the end credits. The following words filled the screen as the credits finished rolling: “Help cure violence at: takepart.com/violentyear.” Intrigued, I checked out that website and was pleased to discover that Chandor is trying to make a positive change in the world through his film by trying to reduce violence. In a video on the TakePart website, Chandor shares how, after a school shooting in his town, he noticed that security guards were now being armed. He had felt that the added presence of guns would only spawn more violence, not less.
The video then focuses on Dr. Gary Slutkin, a man who has applied his experience with working on infectious diseases to the problem of violence. Dr. Slutkin founded the non-profit organization Cure Violence, which takes a medical approach to the problem of violence, theorizing that violence breeds violence and the best way to stop it is to limit public exposure to violence. Participant Media, the entertainment company with a strong history of involvement in films that call for social change, brought these two individuals together to create a social action campaign centered around A Most Violent Year.
Chandor’s film excels because it doesn’t take violence for granted; it actually takes the time to question every violent decision made by its characters. As the TakePart website argues, reducing levels of violent activity can only help to stop the disease of violence and stifle its growth. Looking back on all the violence that occurred in 2014, I can only applaud Chandor for using his art to make a difference in the world. It has certainly helped to reinforce my call as a Christian to be a peacemaker in the midst of a most violent world.
