A MOST VIOLENT YEAR Galas

Set in 1981 during one of the most crime-ridden winters in New York City’s history, J.C. Chandor’s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR follows Abel and Anna Morales (Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain) as they attempt to capitalize on the American Dream even as the rampant violence, decay and corruption of the day threaten to destroy all they have built. In a haunting performance, Isaac plays Abel as a man exhausted by his climb to the top. Just as he’s on the verge of realizing his dream of building a reputable heating oil empire, the long fingers of corruption dig in. To complicate matters, Anna’s family history is mired in institutionalized crime and a history of resolution through bloodshed. Nonetheless, husband and wife press forward even as the threats inch closer to home.