Directed by Steve McQueen
Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. November 18, 2018 1:00 PM
On the surface, "Widows" would appear to be your average action-thriller. Based on the 1980's British series by Lynda La Plante (who also created the popular Helen Mirren-starring crime series, "Prime Suspect"), the film is about three desperate widows trying to steal millions of dollars in order to pay back a debt owed to a gangster by their recently deceased husbands. But Steve McQueen, the British director who earned a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Picture for his last feature, "12 Years a Slave", has much more on his mind than making a basic crime-drama.
McQueen, along with his co-writer, Gillian Flynn (who wrote the novel and screenplay for "Gone Girl"), has created something far more complex with issues involving gender, race and class throughout the narrative. There is a dazzling cast on hand made up of rising talent and established veterans, lead by the formidable screen presence of Viola Davis, who all help elevate the film to another level. "Widows" also focuses on rarely-seen female camaraderie with women on screen not fighting over men but bonding, working together to share their feelings and solve their problems. Unlike "Ocean's 8", another all-female heist movie that came out earlier this year, this film is far more grounded and satisfying.
Veronica (Davis) has become a widow after her husband, Harry (Liam Neeson), a professional thief and his small crew died in a fiery car explosion during a botched robbery. With barely any time to grieve, she's visited by Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), a crime boss turned fledgling politician (like that's a real career change). Veronica is informed that she owes him two million dollars because the money her husband attempted to steal belonged to him. Unconcerned that she was never involved in Harry's business dealings and needing the funds to help finance his campaign for alderman in a Chicago South-Side district, Jamal will give her a month to repay him. Or else.
Unsure of what to do, Veronica is unexpectedly given a departing gift from her late husband that could help her out. Harry left for her in a safe-deposit box a journal with a detailed plan for a robbery that could net up to three million dollars. Desperate, Veronica decides to try to pull the job off but knows she gonna need some help. She decides to call on the widows of Harry's partners-in-crime, knowing they might also need financial assistance.
Linda Perelli (Michelle Rodriguez), the wife of Carlos (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), thought she owned her clothing store but was unaware that her husband lost it due to his gambling debts. Alice Gunner (Elizabeth Debicki) whose abusive husband, Florek (Jon Bernthal) has left her without any real ability to support herself and with her mother's (Jacki Weaver) encouragement, reluctantly begins escorting. And although they think Veronica is crazy to believe that they will ever be able to do this, Linda and Alice agree to go along with the plan. The women begin to do plenty of research and preparation training before attempting this job. When they lose their getaway driver, they turn to Linda's babysitter and struggling beautician, Belle (Cynthia Erivo) as a replacement.
The ladies do have a few other obstacles standing in the way of completing their short-sighted plan. One is Jamal's ruthless brother, Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya), who handles their still-active underworld affairs with a deadly iron fist. He has been keeping a close eye on Veronica's activities with no interest in seeing that she succeeds in repaying his brother. And there's Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell) who is running against Jamal for alderman. Unlike his father (Robert Duvall) who is a former-yet-still powerful Chicago politician, he has no real enthusiasm for politics but feels obligated due to the family tradition of running for office. Jack also has mysterious connection to Veronica. And as to be expected, nothing goes according to plan with an unexpected complication during the heist and an incredibly shocking twist (which manages to be equally preposterous and cruel) that shakes Veronica to her core.
There's a lot going on plot-wise in "Widows" with much of it highly improbable. With several jarring moments featuring emotional suffering, painful revelations and dark secrets, all of this can make the film feel overwhelming at times. Especially since you expect a lot less crying and conversation in an action-crime thriller. But that doesn't mean "Widows" is not entertaining. The strong performances alone certainly makes the film worthwhile with the standouts include Ms Davis, Mr. Kaluuya (who is perfectly sinister and frightening), Ms Erivo and Ms Debicki, the Australian actress that brings unexpected depth to her role of a woman who has relied on her beauty to make her way in the world and discovers that she actually has more to offer.
With his long-time cinematographer, Sean Bobbitt (who has shot all of the director's features to date), McQueen gives the film an unconventional look as well. One key scene that I can't recall ever seen done before has Farrell's Mulligan leaving a rally and entering a town car with his young campaign manager. With the camera placed on the hood of the automobile, they have a lengthy conversation yet we never see them, only the view as they travel back to the upscale neighbor of his campaign headquarters.
"Widows" is a thrilling and exciting action film yet the vivid artistry, character development and heartfelt emotions does tend to tip the film off balance. But I really admire McQueen's attempt to shake up the routine, taking a bold and experimental approach to a genre film that certainly succeeds more than fails.
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