WIDOWS

US, 2018, 129 minutes, Colour.
Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Robert Duval, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, John Bernthal, Garrett Delahunt, Lukas Haas.
Directed by Steve Mc Queen.

This is a film for those who enjoy a complex drama but, especially, for those who are fans of crime novels and films, detectives, investigations, betrayals…

The screenplay has been adapted by the director, Steve Mc Queen, from Lynda La Plante’s story, adapted for British television in the 1990s. While Mc Queen is a celebrated British director (with quite a wide range from the Irish Troubles drama, Hunger, to the exploration of male sexuality, Shameless, to his Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave), he has transferred the action to Chicago.

In many ways, this is a very ugly Chicago. After a very intimate scene between Viola Davis and Liam Neeson (which has quite some dramatic repercussions throughout the film), there is a dramatically staged heist and chase, ending disastrously with the deaths of the thieves. The widows of the title are those of the men killed in the ill-fated chase and explosion. The leader of the gang from the robbery is Harry, played by Liam Neeson. His widow is a tough woman, Veronica, Ronnie, played by Viola Davis, expert in her variety of roles in film and on television. There is also Linda, Michelle Rodriguez, a great opportunity for her and versatility in comparison with her continued presence in the Fast and Furious franchise. The other widow is Alice, from a Polish background, played by Elizabeth Debicki, also a very versatile actress (The Great Gatsby, The Night Manager, Breath) – with a nice touch of casting with Jacki Weaver playing her mother.

So, those are the widows and how they became widows.

But, there is quite some political and political corruption in the foreground. Two American- African brothers are working towards nomination and election in the local ward. They have a great deal to do with the money that was robbed. And, one of the brothers, Daniel Kaluuya (also versatile when we think of Get Out and Black Panther) is a brutal and callous thug, not shrinking from any violence.

On the other hand, there is a long-time boss, Tom Mulligan (Irish tone) who is played by 86-year-old Robert Duvall, also versatile over a very long career, playing a man who knows he is boss, and he dominates his son, Colin Farrell (versatile actor again) wanting to prolong the dynasty.

It is very clear from the trailer that the women are going to join together to steal back the heist cash. In the latter part of the film, we see more of the characters, Ronnie dominating them, Linda and Alice having to do deals to get vans, buy guns, the women and their target practice. But, they need a driver – and she comes in the form of Linda’s babysitter, Belle, played by Cynthia Erevo (an award-winning singer who made such an impression in Bad Times at El Royale).

There is quite a twist towards the end of the film which gives the action a great deal of further energy. And, the re-take robbery does not go entirely as planned.

As has been said, those who like the genre conventions should find this thriller very entertaining, backed by sharp writing and plotting and that excellent cast.

1. The title, the focus, expectations?

2. The work of Lynda La Plante, novels and television series, the English settings and background, the transferring to Chicago?

3. The city of Chicago, the different areas and neighbourhoods, the political implications of some of the areas, electioneering, bribery and corruption? Crime, violence? Robberies, the police, action? The musical score?

4. The introduction to Ronnie and Harry, the intensity of the relationship? Setting a tone for the rest of the film, especially Ronnie’s character and experience and memories? By Harry’s behaviour and betrayal?

5. The initial robbery, the drama of the heist, the vehicle, the money, the pursuit, going to the depot, the deaths of the explosions?

6. The wives, the memories of their husbands, the brief back stories? Linda, family, the gambling husband, the shop, its being reclaimed and all the contents? The humiliation? Belle and her looking after the children? Alice, her Polish background, brittle husband, her bond with her mother, the reaction to her husband’s death, coping, setting up as an escort, David, the businessman, the affair with him, the effect on her? On him?

7. Ronnie, strong woman, Teachers Union background, her relationship with Harry, their son, the regrets, the funeral sequence, the flashbacks to her son’s death, shot by the police fearing he was reaching for a weapon? The repercussions on both Ronnie and Harry?

8. The widow, the young child, Ronnie discovering that it was Harry’s child? The issue of race and relationships between them?

9. Harry chauffeur, devotion, Ronnie and the disposition of the car, the shivers continue devotion, torture and death?

10. The political background of the film, the Manning brothers, the characters, the campaign, the speeches and the promises? The issues of money? Audiences seeing behind-the-scenes, the deals, their money being robbed, wanting to recover it? The politician, relying on his brother, his brother’s violence and ruthlessness? His perpetrating the violence or callous watching TV while the thugs were brutal?

11. Tom Mulligan, the family tradition in the ward, his political acumen, his pride, his ambitions for his son, the discussions between them, his laying down the law, violent language, Jack being more flexible, working behind-the-scenes?

12. Ronnie has hard, her memories of the years, the sense of loss, the notebook, the deals to recover the notebook, her puzzling, the contacts, getting the information, the decision?

13. Her gathering the widows, the discussions, her tough stances, the reaction towards her, her leadership? The various jobs and the talents needed? Ronnie’s expectations, their having to get the van and the details of the deals, Linda and her shrewdness, Alice seductive and shrewd and the getting of the guns, the women and their target practice? The need for a driver? Linda and Belle as the babysitter, the phone calls, her own daughter, running to jobs, her character, talking back to Ronnie?

14. Ronnie and her discussions with Jack Mulligan, the flask, her realisation of what had happened? Sadness and regrets? The meeting with Tom Mulligan, her surveillance of the house, the location of the money?

15. The preparation for the heist, the training, physical, the weights to carry the money, the masks? The entering into the house, Tom Mulligan’s Asian mistress, his confronting with the gun, Alice shot, Tom Mulligan killed, they getaway, the money and the sharing?

16. The scene with Jack Mulligan, Harry, the motives for the robbery, the plan, Harry and his callousness?

17. Ronnie meeting with Harry, their talk, her sense of betrayal, his hardness, pulling the gun, her shooting him first?

18. Linda, the recovery of the shop, starting again? Alice, her future? Sitting in the restaurant, Ronnie also present?

19. Ronnie, the politics, the donation of the money, the finance for the library, using the name of her son?

20. The complexity of politics, crime, heist thrillers, betrayals, the range of characters and interactions?