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Dec 22, 2015Janice21383 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
No question, I wanted to like A Most Violent Year, and should have liked it more. It seems inspired by the neo-realist, business/labour noirs of the early 1950s, like Thieves' Highway and The Garment Jungle. But it could benefit from those films' snappy pacing. Thirty minutes alone could be cut by eliminating shots of people silently driving, running improbably long distances and sitting, staring into space. There is a long sequence largely lifted from The French Connection, but yeah, no, Friedkin it's not. That said there is a lot to like, especially Oscar Isaac's successful working man, who married the boss's mobster daughter. EXTRAS: the commentary track has a lot of info about the changing architecture and decor of New York, if you're into that; otherwise, it is less than riveting.