Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oleyowo

The year is 1981. The city is New York. The title might give you the assumption of a more heated action, more explicit scenes… The genre is still drama, quite slow, but not boring at all.

For the most part of the movie, we’re in anticipation of a turnaround, but not in the well-known way where we wait for it with a ‘twitch’ because we’ve bored ourselves, so we’re on the verge of shutting down the film.

On the contrary, unpredictability is subtle, keeps the attention and makes the action interesting.

Our protagonist is an honest businessman, an oil trader who doesn’t want a stain in his business, but tries legally to provide a monopoly in the city.

In the intention of buying land that is crucial to winning the market, he suffers the pressure on multiple levels.

Starting with a bank that unexpectedly refuses him a loan, through constant attacks on his drivers and fuel trucks, the district attorney who constantly asks him for business errors…

…plus with the fact that his wife is a direct liaison with the mafia family, we have all the predispositions for gangster theme.

But that doesn’t happen. He remains persistent in his intention to solve all problems the hard way, patiently and legally, refusing the ‘help’ of his wife’s family.

We’re going to enjoy great acting, from O.Isaac in particular; He’d be great in some gangster lead role (which on this occasion he just gave a hint). J.Chastain in the supporting role also at her standard level.