There are a lot of reasons to be excited about A Most Violent Year, an upcoming period drama set in crime-ridden New York City in the winter of 1981. For one, it hails from director J.C. Chandor, the man behind whip-smart financial drama Margin Call, as well as All Is Lost, which gave Robert Redford one of the finest roles of his career. For another, it has an absolutely phenomenal cast, including Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain and Albert Brooks. Now, thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we have our first look at the film.
Though the images (one above, one below) don’t give much away, they do showcase Isaac, Chastain and Brooks in character. The caption which ran alongside the pics in EW read as follows:
J.C. Chandor (All Is Lost) turns back the clock to 1981, one of the deadliest years in New York City history, for this action-packed drama (due this fall) about surviving the American dream. Oscar Isaac plays Abel, a principled gas businessman who runs up against the underworld. Luckily, his wife, Anna (Chastain), has some Brooklyn connections who might be able to help when rivals start hijacking their gas trucks. “There are certain things Abel won’t do, [so] she thinks maybe she has to,” says Chastain. But Abel’s mettle might be stronger than she realizes – Isaac (above, and left with Albert Brooks) studied Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II before filming. “Oscar was born to play this role,” says Chandor.
Chandor definitely appears to have another buzzy drama on his hands. With the period setting, terrific cast and the director’s history, A Most Violent Year certainly seems like a strong contender for awards attention – provided distributor A24 Films gets it out in time to qualify. Co-stars include Alessandro Nivola, David Oyelowo, Elyes Gabel, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Christopher Abbott.
“A Most Violent Year” is a thriller set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city’s history. The film follows the lives of an immigrant and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.
