Widows is an exhilarating tale of crime, corruption and survival. Director Steve McQueen has done it again, further cementing his claim as one of cinema's top current directors. Every minute of Widows is a noticeable labor of love, giving credence to McQueen's pre-screening welcome address to the audience. McQueen mentions that this was the movie he has always wanted to make, and his passion does not go unnoticed. Couple his direction with an engaging script (penned by McQueen and Gillian Flynn), and a star-studded cast, and Widows makes the short list for one of the most enjoyable films in 2018.
The film opens with professional criminal, Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson), engaging on one last heist-gone-wrong and widowing four women in the process. Rawlings's wife, Veronica (Viola Davis), is left to deal with the aftermath of her deceased husband's robbery. Veronica was given one keepsake, a journal full of plans detailing Harry's next job. After a run in with local crime boss and aspiring politician, Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), who is looking for his stolen money, Veronica decides to round up the other widows (Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, and Carrie Coon) to execute their husband's final job. Soliciting help from a jack-of-all-trades hair stylist, Belle (Cynthia Erivo), the women set their sights on the job of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Manning's younger brother, Jatemme (Daniel Kaluuya), spends his time searching for his family's money, and politically corrupt father-son duo, Tom and Jack Mulligan (Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell), try and keep a tight grip on their ward, which is being threatened by the Manning campaign.
With so many characters, and so many layers to the story, McQueen does a masterful job letting each actor flesh themselves out. Each character has depth, feeling and purpose. Although the cast is very impressive, Viola Davis takes the cake. Playing a deeply troubled widow and mother of a deceased son, Davis successfully portrays the broken, hard and no-nonsense character of Veronica. There are times in the film when the audience can feel her pain, sympathize with her struggle, and most importantly, root for her.
Although the cast was great, and the story is thrilling, the most impressive feat here is the direction. In addition to McQueen giving a platform to each and every one of his actors, he amps up every scene through the use of sound or silence. He gives us the opportunity to live in this world with the characters, to sit in a quiet room with a grieving widow, to experience the thrill of a heist. There are so many layers to this film that it will require multiple viewings to get the full message, and fortunately, Widows is entertaining enough to warrant this. McQueen is not afraid to talk about the hot-button social and political climate, but is able to do so elegantly, under the façade of a modern-day heist drama.
Widows is a breath of fresh air, and more importantly, wildly entertaining. There is no minute wasted, no filler material. Each and every character is given purpose, and each moment builds towards the suspenseful finale. McQueen corralled a cast of rising stars and established talent and gives them the tools to make something great.