A Most Violent Year

A Most Violent Year is a 2014 American crime drama film written and directed by J. C. Chandor. The film stars Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain with Alessandro Nivola, David Oyelowo, Albert Brooks, and Catalina Sandino Moreno. It is about Abel Morales Isaac, the owner of a small heating oil company who is stressed by the competitiveness in the oil trade and having to secure costly loans to expand his business. When his truck drivers start getting hijacked, there is increased pressure for him and his drivers to arm themselves. It had its world premiere as the opening film of the AFI Fest on November 6, 2014, and was released theatrically on December 31, 2014. The film garnered positive reviews, with a 89 rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

As a way to secure financial independence for himself and trump his competitors, Abel, with the help of his attorney, Andrew Walsh Albert Brooks, brokers a deal with a group of Jewish Chassidim, led by Josef Mendellsohn Jerry Adler, to purchase a fuel oil terminal on the East River. This will allow Morales company to directly import fuel oil from barges and to store far more oil in the summertime when fuel oil prices are lower. He places a large down payment ofon the property with the agreement that he will close indaysif he fails to do so, the Chassidim will sell the terminal to one of Morales competitors and keep the down payment.After moving into a new home, Morales prevents what appears to be an attempted burglary, but the next day one of his daughters finds a loaded handgun dropped in the bushes by the perpetrator. Suspecting this intimidation is coming from his competitors, he begins to confront them one by one each one denies any intimidation and theft to drive him out of business. The head of the Teamsters encourages Morales to arm his drivers with handguns and fake permits that he can secure for him. Morales refuses, believing that such a move could bring down even more heat on his operation from the authorities and potentially ruin his legitimate business connections with a bank financing his business. ........

Source: Wikipedia