In the bonus track of the DVD of "Widows," the director Steve McQueen discussed how he wanted to create a film that was "exciting, engaging, and about our times." In what could have been a standard heist film like "Ocean's 8," this film had substantial depth due to the fascinating, multi-layered set of characters.
The conceit of the film, which was based on a 1980s television series, is that of four women are made widows by men who led lives of crime. The menfolk have left the women in dire straits financially, but, more significantly, they have placed them in danger with nefarious members of organized crime, who coming to collect debts.
Led by Veronica Rawlings (Olivia Davis), who is the ringleader of the four women, the group plans a daring break-in for dirty money that they need to start their lives anew. Davis is terrific in her role, as well as all of the performers in this well-cast film.
The story is set in Chicago, and screenwriter Gillian Flynn described in the DVD bonus track how she and the production team wanted to film Chicago as its own character. Director McQueen identified the themes of race, politics, police, and crime as the major facets of contemporary Chicago.
One of the most memorable scenes in this action picture was one of the quietest in the film when three of the widows meet in a spa and discuss their Mission: Impossible scenario while sitting in a sauna! The film was filled with unexpected scenes like this one and photographed in dynamic set-ups using a wide range of locations in Chicago. But, above all, it is the interesting batch of characters, especially the slimy machine politicians of Chicago, that are memorable in this extremely well-produced thriller.
The conceit of the film, which was based on a 1980s television series, is that of four women are made widows by men who led lives of crime. The menfolk have left the women in dire straits financially, but, more significantly, they have placed them in danger with nefarious members of organized crime, who coming to collect debts.
Led by Veronica Rawlings (Olivia Davis), who is the ringleader of the four women, the group plans a daring break-in for dirty money that they need to start their lives anew. Davis is terrific in her role, as well as all of the performers in this well-cast film.
The story is set in Chicago, and screenwriter Gillian Flynn described in the DVD bonus track how she and the production team wanted to film Chicago as its own character. Director McQueen identified the themes of race, politics, police, and crime as the major facets of contemporary Chicago.
One of the most memorable scenes in this action picture was one of the quietest in the film when three of the widows meet in a spa and discuss their Mission: Impossible scenario while sitting in a sauna! The film was filled with unexpected scenes like this one and photographed in dynamic set-ups using a wide range of locations in Chicago. But, above all, it is the interesting batch of characters, especially the slimy machine politicians of Chicago, that are memorable in this extremely well-produced thriller.