Oscar Isaac did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning NBR, for portraying Abel Morales in A Most Violent Year.
A Most Violent Year follows a businessman attempting to secure a life changing deal for his gas company.
I think the early word on the film, along with its name, perhaps was to the film's detriment in terms of overall recognition in its year. This as it suggested a different film, as the film is a low key study of one man's morality, than a wide scope crime drama you might have expected from its catching name and the comparisons to
The Godfather. Now in this we have a very atypical character for leading such a morality tale, and in that Oscar Isaac has a unique challenge. So often in the case of morality in a crime film, it is upon the person who has already gone through corruption or is actively taking part of it, either by will or by circumstance like Michael Corleone in
The Godfather. A character in that Isaac's Morales was compared to, it certainly helps with their similar appearance, but I don't believe that quite covers the man that is Morales. This is as Morales's role within this story is a unique one, in that while he's not a straight forward good man within corruption, by way of being a legal force, he is not a corrupted man within corruption. This is as he is trying to make it within the corrupt world of the gas works in NYC, he has a criminal lawyer (Albert Brooks) and a wife (Jessica Chastain) whose family are local criminals. The story is of the man trying to not be this, while existing strictly in that world, almost trying to play the game, but with a hand tied behind his back. Isaac's performance then is one that is to bring to life this alternative conflict, that unfolds not quite in the expected way for such a story.
Now on the surface the similarities to Al Pacino as Michael are easy enough to name. This is where one can easily praise Isaac's performance where he delivers that needed sort of internalized charisma for the part of Abel. He's not a man who wields his power, or attempted power, through broad strokes, but rather through almost this force of will. Isaac's delivers that as his presence offers that sort of sense in one's own conviction that empowers him in some way. Isaac captures this specific kind of control in his performance that grants the right sense of Abel's awareness of what he must do, but also the methods he believes he must take to do that. There are earlier moments within the narrative where Abel explains his plans. This is where Isaac's performance conveys well this clear sense of his purpose. This in calm yet determined voice, and eyes that are fiery with a controlled but very real ambition. Isaac creating the sense of a man who has built upon his intelligence within his field, and is working his way towards a kind of control of his destiny. Isaac's performance crafts the sense of the ambition that then grants the man that certain strength, and in turn a remarkable distinct type of charisma. This as Isaac exudes a man of power, even as we open the film we find someone who is quickly struggling to maintain this power, as he doesn't quite have the money to buy an essential property for his plans, and is dealing with the constant theft of his trucks along with the physical harassment of his employees.
Isaac's performance then becomes one that reveals two burdens within it. The first the more obvious and essentially surface one of the exasperation of his state. This as every time it seems he solves one problem two more come up, not due to his own excess or incompetence, but rather the actions of others. Isaac's performance wears this effectively within the man of just a state of growing frustration. Again though Isaac balancing that with the sense of the man's strength as we don't see it overwhelm him in this sense, rather grants a greater sense of perseverance within the man. This as one deal goes poorly for him, Isaac brings the same determination in speaking within the meeting for the next of a man who will finds his success through the forces against him. The second less so that being within the idea of morality, particularly how it exists for him within his world both for his business and in his personal life. Isaac in this shows a good man, but a man who basically has risen around corruption. This in his earlier moments with the other gas owners, or his own lawyer. Isaac's eyes convey a sense of the knowledge of the man as it is with careful suspicion of their actions. When he himself stands against a DA focusing upon seemingly randomly his company, Isaac's portrayal of Abel's denials of any wrongdoing within his company, is that of that same kind of conviction. Isaac importantly grants no sense of a lingering doubt within himself, rather shows someone who fully is aware that he knows how he has risen not through the corruption that he has been so closely near.
This comes to life even greater though within the side story of one of his workers, Julian (Elyes Gabel), becomes increasingly hostile after becoming wanted by the police for having attempted to defend himself in a robbery through the use of a gun. Isaac's scenes within Julian and his wife, are brilliantly performed this as he grants an essential warmth and empathy within Abel. This as even as he tries to get the man to turn himself into the police, that low key warmth Isaac delivers is again with certainty that he believes this will help the man. There is importantly no sense of selfishness within this, as Isaac instead portrays the man believing he is leading the man to some help after his actions have threatened both their livelihoods. Of course one of the most important complications is in his relationship with his wife. This is where Isaac crafts some very careful chemistry with Chastain, that grants a strong sense of their relationship even though we don't really delve within the details all that closely. Isaac conveys the obvious attraction, if tempered by years of marriage, but at the same time gives us the sense of the underlying frustration at the ease in which his wife displays a more duplicitous side. This alluding to her family history, which I love how Isaac makes this a given in his performance, with almost side eye glances that suggest a knowing man just slightly watching out for the worst tendencies he knows his wife has, without hating her for it.
What the film then becomes is basically a testing of the attempt of Abel to try to do what is right no matter how much the world around him encourages him to do wrong for the purposes of selfishness. Isaac is excellent in the way he finds so much nuance within this struggle, which is never spelled out directly however is found again within his subtle work. This as we see the man who refuses to give in to just violence as even when he tracks down one of the thieves and interrogates him. Isaac is outstanding in this interrogation scene. This as he delivers the intensity of a man who could kill given that sense of determination, however in his verbal reaction of releasing that anger from his frustrations is brilliantly performed. This in showing a man who wants to do the right thing in that release, fighting against the negative urge. Even in this time though we still see the strength of the man when within righteousness when he successfully earns some of his money back from one of his competitors. Isaac owns the scene brilliantly in just exuding that internalized power greater than ever, with the right sense of threat within his words, but still that calm that embodies within itself this unquestioned strength. He seems even more tested as he finds he has one source of income from his wife, from her secretly skimming off the top from Morales's company. Isaac is great though in this being the biggest break as he yells as a man who has put up with this behavior for far too long, and this outrage very much earned from his wife often questionable moral character. Isaac reveals those years in this moment that is of surprise at the sort of betrayal but in his eyes that of also that still knowing as something he knew was possible in his wife. The final sort of challenge comes as Morales has successful made his deal by using the money, really with no alternate option for those funds or for himself, but Julian reappears with gun. Julian though only in a distraught depression where he quickly kills himself seemingly both depressed and jealous towards Morales's success. Isaac's reaction in the moment is perfection as he shows the horror of the moment in his understated reaction still. Isaac finds within though not a shame exactly, rather a disappointment again against the corruption and violence that lead to the act, though he himself was not truly guilty of it. This is an impressive work from Isaac, as was the way for him in his remarkable quartet of performances from 2013-2015, hopefully he'll return to this quality sometime soon. Nonetheless this stands as one of his great performances. This in granting a powerful portrait of an atypical character in a moral dilemma. This as a man attempting, despite all odds, to do what he believes is right in a world filled with wrongs.
