A late night break-in to the family house and a loaded gun with one of his three daughters playing with the weapon – the warning signs for the businessman Abel Morales are becoming more pronounced. The first-generation immigrant now heads a successful heating oil business in 1981 New York City. This self-made man is under pressure by his competitors who turn to dirty methods such as robbing his drivers and sales reps at gunpoint. To boot the NYPD is launching an investigation into his company. Morales finds himself at the precipice but his confident wife (and daughter of his former boss) refuses to just stand by and watch. Her father ran the company with ties to the mob whereas her husband tries to be on the right side of the law – and al this in year in which New York’s crime rate reached an all-time high.

With the critic’s favorite MARGIN CALL about the financial crisis, ALL IS LOST about a sailor lost at sea, J.C. Chandor has established himself alongside Michael Mann, David Fincher and Darren Aronofsky as one of Hollywood’s few writer-directors. Chandor’s third film has parallels themes with his first. But with its colors, mood, underlying tensions and realistic outburst of violence, the charismatic criminal drama recalls the powerful New Hollywood Cinema of the 1970s such as SERPICO by Sidney Lumet and John Frankenheimer’s THE FRENCH CONNECTION.

Oscar Isaac, who had his breakthrough in the Coen brothers’ INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS and who will play in the new STAR WARS at the end of this year, gives an excellent performance in his double-role as family man and company boss. Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY, INTERSTELLAR) is convincing as Abel’s femme fatale wife. And the supporting roles are filled by Albert Brooks (TAXI DRIVER) and David Oyelowo (SELMA). At the center of this story is the first-generation immigrant embodied by Oscar Isaac pursuing the American Dream at a high price. With A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, J.C. Chandor stays true to his male figures who find themselves in dicey and special situations.

Christian Horn (INDIEKINO MAGAZIN)

Translation: Carla MacDougall