Widows – Film Review

I’m going to open this review up by saying that Steve McQueen has provided an absolute STELLAR of a film with Widows!

When a money heist goes terribly wrong, Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson along with his crew are killed and two million dollars is left incinerated. Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry) a once criminal now turned politician was the target hit by Harry and his crew. Two million dollars down, Jamal seeks his repayment through Harry‘s now widowed wife Veronica (Viola Davis). Threateninng her life and giving her a month to come up with the money her husband stole, Veronica seeks help from the other widows whose husbands also perished alongside Harry. Banding together the widows attempt a job that could either see them freed from their husbands debt or set their own demise.

Going into Widows I was feeling confident that I was in for a really captivating experience, mainly because Steve McQueen who directed 12 Years a Slave has a talent for incredible storytelling.

Widows is uniquely told, the pace of the film is incredibly smooth and does it so well that it is able to effectively establish all of its characters clearly, as well as proceed with an extremely powerful story progression.

What makes this film so unique is not only how it is packed with an amazing story, unexpected twists and suspense, but the the main iconic aspect is its character development! Every widow is left so vulnerable after the passing of their husbands that they literally hit rock bottom, having everything stripped away from them. It’s then that journey of rebuilding their foundations and that phoenix rises from the ashes stronger scenario that is really appealing to see.

The character chemistry between each character worked so well right up until the end. There was a real feel of sisterhood; every spat, every failure, every victory, their emotions had bounced off each other so naturally, that it literally helped mold their character development and the overall conclusion of the film. From start to finish there was a really strong transition that was so satisfying.

The acting performance from Daniel Kaluuya was casually disturbing which was just so chillingly perfect to watch. As well as Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Erivo, they all flowed and blended so well together. The stress, the struggle, the feeling of abandonment and isolation was captured so brilliantly! Every cast member provided such a rich and powerful performance, that it gave the film so much more depth and emotion. I actually have no bad things to say about this film. Perhaps the husbands could have been explored a tad more and the political side of the film draw away some flow of the storyline, however it still progresses nicely.

Steve McQueen has pieced together a unique masterpiece in Widows that portrays an amazing story which is complimented by a powerful cast that deliver exceptionally well. The suspense, hooks, twists and turns keep you grounded, and the conclusion marries everything together perfectly. I cannot think of a better all female lead movie that would top this one. Widows is definitely in a league of its own. I’m going to proudly say this is by far the best all female lead movie to-date, period.