Director Steve McQueen’s newest film “Widows” released in theaters on Nov. 16. The film’s trailer translates the plot quite well, and the movie itself met the expectations of the trailer.
The movie maintains a stacked and diverse lineup with well-known actors and actresses: Liam Neeson, Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Daniel Kaluuya. The movie also features Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Erivo and Colin Farrell.
The film begins with the backstory on how the protagonists became widows. The four wives had only one thing in common; they all married men that work together in committing robberies. Harry Rawlins, portrayed by Liam Neeson, is the mastermind of each heist the group partakes in.
The group stole a large amount of money from a governor-elect and were making the getaway, but were caught in a line of police fire and all died when their van exploded. Harry’s wife, Veronica, then had to carry the burden of making two million dollars to pay back the politician after he and his son, portrayed by Daniel Kaluuya (who is well known for his role in “Get Out”), threatened her.
Veronica, in a desperate effort, then finds her deceased husband’s blueprints written out to steal five million dollars from the man opposing the governor reelection bid. She then bands together with two of the other widows to perform the major heist, with the assistance from one of the widow’s babysitter.
The outstanding character dynamics and development provide a unique yet remarkable element to the film. Veronica went through not one, but two family deaths, yet she mustered up the strength to take on this huge challenge when she also faced the option of giving up and accepting defeat.
Another widow named Alice, portrayed by Elizabeth Debicki from “The Great Gatsby” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” received emotional and physical abuse from her husband. Her mother abused her as well, but by the end of the movie, she began to defend herself after Veronica snapped and lost her patience with her.
Instead of letting Veronica smack her around, she fought back and stated that she would no longer take the abuse from anyone ever again. The third widow Linda, played by Michelle Rodriguez who is known for being in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, played a more minor role in the heist; she did not drive well, shoot well or have the necessary physical strength to carry the heavy moneybags.
However, during the heist, she redeems herself after Alice runs into trouble. Seeing Michelle Rodriguez portraying an almost weak female role felt quite strange.
“Widows” reflects the struggles of wives facing grief, but in a way where action-packed scenes surrounded the premise. The strong female roles captivated the audience with their independence following the death of each husband. The film’s ending also contained a major plot-twist, which in itself made the movie worth watching. “Widows” was by no means disappointing, and I highly recommend it to those who have not seen.
