Widows (2018) Review

Based on the British mini-series, Widows follows three women in Chicago who have to pay a debt left behind by their deceased husbands, so they put together a heist plan to get the money since their lives depend on it. Directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger, 12 Years A Slave), this film takes a more mainstream approach but at the same time, his craft is displayed throughout it. You got Viola Davis as Veronica leading the cast and this movie and she does a magnificent job, showing vulnerability but a savage determination to take control of her life. Another standout was Elizabeth Debicki as Alice, not just acting wise but also being perhaps the tallest cast member, standing at 6 ft. 3 in! She practically towers over anyone in this film! There's also Brian Tyree Henry as Jamal Manning whose money got stolen by Veronica's husband (Liam Neeson), so he threatens Veronica, along with his deadly brother (Daniel Kaluuya), to repay him for his campaign for alderman against Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell), who's following in his dad's footsteps but attempting to make progress and change for minorities. One of my favorite parts as an example of how well-directed this movie was is this one take where Jack drives in his car with his assistant. We actually don't go in the car but follow it outside at the front as it drives, listening to their dialogue. One last standout is Veronica's very cute dog, who I swore was the same dog from Game Night. It turned out I was right. Olivia is the movie dog of the year.

I thought this was a better heist movie than Ocean's 8. While the heist part was entertaining, Ocean's 8 kind of struggles to keep you engaged in the first act. Widows, on the other hand, was thrilling, had great buildup and a solid cast. I loved following these women trying to make ends meet and it throws you through a loop as it goes along. The stakes and superb direction make this a very worthwhile film.

RATING: VERY STRONG APPROVAL (A)