Review of WIDOWS – Rated R – 2 hrs. 9 mins.

WIDOWS – Rated R – 2 hrs. 9 mins.

DIRECTOR/WRITER:  Steve McQueen

WRITERS:  Gillian Flynn (screenplay), Lynda La Plante (Book)

STARRING:  Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Daniel Kaluuya, Brian Tyree Henry, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Cynthia Erivo and Carrie Coon

From the Director who brought us the 3 time Academy Award winning film – 12 YEARS A SLAVE – Steve McQueen – we now venture into the life of Veronica Rawlings (Viola Davis) and Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson), their lives seem picturesque living in Chicago, but not of long…as Harry’s chosen criminal profession is about to unravel…leaving Veronica and the wives of his newly expired crew, Linda (Michelle Rodriquez), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) and Amanda (Carrie Coon), seeking a way to save what’s left of their, and their children’s tattered lives…

When Crime Boss / Campaigning Alderman Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry) surfaces, it seems that good ol’ Harry has stolen lots of Manning’s moolah before his untimely demise, and Jamal wants his 2 Mil back, not caring what Veronica has to do to get it…leaving Veronica to try to figure out a way, before Jamal’s little brother/hitman Jetamme (Daniel Kaluuya) heads her way…

Seeking out the wives of the men in Harry’s crew, Veronica puts in motion a plan to get Jamal his money, in hopes of saving each of their lives in the process.  Now, with the plan in motion, and each of these Widow’s immersing themselves into a crazy world they know nothing about, it’s going to take everything they’ve got, to pull this heist off …

I give WIDOWS a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN!  Davis is incredible in her role as Veronica, proving that you can become whatever you need to in this life, if it means saving yourself, and the lives of your new friends too along the way! She is as buff as I have ever seen her, proving too that if you want something bad enough, like a role in a totally awesome female heist film, she will also in real life go to the lengths necessary, to be prepared for her next role! Rodriguez and Erivo are spectacular too, becoming some real badass bitches, seeking to save their own lives, and the lives of their children along the way as well.   Add in the superbly crafted performance by Debicki, who also totally impressed me every step of the way, having Ioved her in her sinister role in 2015’s THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. too!  Lest we not forget to give shout outs to the men who played key roles in McQueen’s thriller as well, as Neeson, Farrell, Duvall and Henry made their marks on the big screen throughout every inch of this film. But, the stand out performance for me when it comes to the male leads for this film, is none other than last year’s Golden Globe and Oscar nominee for his leading performance in GET OUT, Daniel Kaluuya!  Kaluuya’s performance in this film is about as intense and masterful as it gets, every time he’s on screen.  From its slow to burning beginning, to its strategically placed plot twists, to its superb casting totally across the board, WIDOWS Is one of those films that you have to experience on the big screen, at a theater near you, and no other way!!!

Kathy Kaiser