J. C. Chandor, lately of the awful Margin Call and, apparently, some movie I didn’t see where Robert Redford has a boat accident, has made a near-perfect little movie here. Oscar Issac and Jessica Chastain are great, the Sidney Lumet frosted gray New York light makes you shiver, the story — small timers trying to thrive in the big city — is smart and tight. A little bit of gratuitous and heavy handed symbolism toward the very end, but it can be forgiven after two hours of such seamless storytelling and creamy mise en scène.

I’m interested to see what Chandor does next. His first three are pretty diverse!