A Look at A Most Violent Year: A Hidden Gem Coming to HBO Max

A Most Violent Year, a gripping thriller featuring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, is set to hit HBO Max soon. This 2014 film, directed by J. C. Chandor, dives into the life of an immigrant in New York City during 1981, a year marked by extreme violence. The movie also stars Albert Brooks, David Oyelowo, and Alessandro Nivola, and has earned an impressive 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite critical acclaim, the film didn't make much money. It only grossed $12 million against a $20 million budget. This was before A24 became a big name with Moonlight's Best Picture win in 2016. Fans of A24 can now look forward to streaming A Most Violent Year on HBO Max starting January 1, 2026. HBO Max is home to many A24 films. Other older titles joining the platform in the new year include Ex Machina, Bodies Bodies Bodies, While We're Young, and Moonlight. Newer A24 movies like The Smashing Machine and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You will also be added on January 23 and 30, respectively. This follows the addition of 2025 hits Sorry, Baby and Materialists. A24's latest and biggest Oscar contender, Marty Supreme, hits theaters on Christmas Day.Oscar Isaac, known for his role in Star Wars, also starred in A24's Ex Machina the same year as A Most Violent Year. Recently, he played the lead in Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, which is expected to be a strong contender for the 2026 Oscar Best Picture nomination. Isaac is also part of the Venice Film Festival movie In the Hand of Dante, which received mixed reviews. Jessica Chastain, who won an Oscar for The Eyes of Tammy Faye in 2021, has been busy with various projects. She has starred in action films like The 355, period dramas like Armageddon Time, and crime biopics like The Good Nurse. She is also known for her roles in thrillers such as Zero Dark Thirty and Molly's Game.