Review of Widows (2018) by Alan W — 26 Nov 2018

Steve McQueen surprises many by following up his 2013 Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave with a remake of a Lynda La Plante TV series from 1983. Transporting the story from London to Chicago via an adaptation from Gone Girl author, Gillian Flynn, and a star studded cast, this remake has a resilient Viola Davis (in full How to Get Away With Murder mode) leading a gang of widows, whose husbands have all perished in a failed heist, to take back control of their lives against a backdrop of psychotic gangsters and crooked politicians who are hot on their heels.

Very much on trend with its themes of female empowerment and a healthy mistrust for politicians, this slick new update is relevant and contemporary while McQueen's arthouse take on the heist movie (art-heist, anyone?) produced something that's good-looking, soulful and allows the director to show off his artistic flair by transforming mundane and by the book scenes into something more inspiring and remarkable.

The problem though, is that it is overloaded with narrative strands, especially for the supporting roles, fighting for space in a film that is already bursting with story. Even though the 2-hrs plus running time flew by, some of those B-plots really don't go anywhere interesting and/or are soon disregarded come the final act when the big heist takes over.

Furthermore, certain narrative developments come across as contrived, if not entirely convincing; and the finale wraps up too many loose ends far too conveniently and easily, something you can get away with on a TV show, but less forgivable in a film with such a creative pedigree behind it.

It may be entertaining enough as a heist film but it ultimately feels slight and doesn't quite justify the talents that's involved here.