Widows (2018) - Review

 

Steve McQueen may very well be the most underrated filmmaker currently working. That sounds like his films receive little to no press, but quite the contrary. His past three films, “Hunger,” “Shame” and “12 Years A Slave” have all received critical praise and awards recognition. Even that adoration isn’t enough to fully communicate how talented of a filmmaker he is, and now with “Widows” he has teamed up with writer Gillian Flynn (“Gone Girl,” “Sharp Objects”) to create something truly special.

At its core, “Widows” is a heist thriller that follows a long-established template of the genre. Job goes bad, character wants revenge, characters tries job on their own terms, gets a crew and executes job. However, Flynn and McQueen take their characters deeper than that. This isn’t just the thrill of the job, there are reasons that they actually need the money.

It’s the series of layers that are slowly introduced that allow McQueen and Flynn to create characters that are more than just bodies for cool heist sequences. There’s a seriousness rarely seen in modern day heist films that feels utterly refreshing. They aren’t indestructible, and things need to be planned out slowly.

It removes the “turn off your brain” nature prevalent in most heist films and allows a sense of realism to be brought to the table. The fact that the final heist seems logical and like it could probably be pulled off speaks volumes about the world created for this film.

The four women at the center are excellent, and the supporting cast holds their own as well. Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder,” “Doubt”) continues to show why she’s one of the greatest actresses working today. Cynthia Erivo proves that “Bad Times at the El Royale” wasn’t a fluke and that she has a long career ahead of her, and Michelle Rodriguez (“Avatar,” “Girlfight”) shows that she can act just as well as she can drive.

Elizabeth Debicki (“The Great Gatsby (2013),” “The Night Manager”) stands out the most though. Her and Davis are the film’s emotional anchors, and while both are excellent, Davis’s excellence is almost expected given her track record. Debicki surprises with her skills, blowing her past works out of the water to deliver a career best performance.

Rounding out the cast is Colin Farrell (“Horrible Bosses,” “The Lobster”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta,” “White Boy Rick”), Daniel Kaluuya (“Get Out”), Robert Duvall (“Get Low,” “True Grit (1969)”), Liam Neeson (“Taken”) and Garret Dillahunt (“Burn Notice,” “Raising Hope”). Liam Neeson stands out from the supporting cast though, getting to stretch his true acting chops more than his muscles for once, with wonderful results.

Shot expertly by cinematographer Sean Bobbitt (“The Place Beyond the Pines,” “12 Years A Slave”), McQueen and Flynn’s heist thriller moves slowly through each sequence, with a camera that’s not afraid to let shots linger or glide through scenes, instead of hard cutting away. It gives the world a slightly playful feeling, allowing them to nail a distinct tonal balance that never feels too somber or too playful.

Even when filling the characters and their motivations with backstories and themes that are timely and dark, the lightness is never lost. Despite having racism, gang violence, sexism and abuse all coming into play, the lightness is never lost, thanks to the care the writers, and by extension the audience, has for these characters.

That balance seemingly comes into question once the twists start flying forth, but even then, the razor thin wire they walk holds tight. This is a masterfully shot, written, acted and crafted film. The most fun a drama has been in years. Make no mistake, “Widows” shouldn’t be and isn’t a light-hearted affair. But because these characters are so grounded and expertly established, it allows the overbearing dreariness associated with the genre to be shaken off. “Widows” may just be a gamechanger, and even if it isn’t, its still a damn good film. 5/5