Widows

R

Released Nov 16, 2018

2 hr. 8 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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List

91%

427 Reviews

Tomatometer

61%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows -- Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle -- have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.

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Critics Consensus

Widows rounds up a stellar ensemble for a heist thriller that mixes popcorn entertainment with a message - and marks another artistic leap for director Steve McQueen.

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Theodoros A

Amazing action movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/19/24

Full Review

Jeff M

This is a fantastic movie that was unjustly ignored by audiences and awards bodies upon its initial release. I have a gut feeling its reputation will grow over the years, and it will eventually be re-discovered as a classic. Seriously, this pretty much has something for everyone. There is drama, there is humor, there are thrills and twists and turns that make you dizzy with cinematic joy. And it is that rare opportunity to see an ensemble of tough, tenacious and terrific actresses join forces and kick some serious butt in a quality film. Take OCEANS EIGHT, mix a bit of THE GRIFTERS, add some KILL BILL and a dash of GONE GIRL, bake at 350, sit back and enjoy. This is one of those rare movies like THE DARK KNIGHT that miraculously blurs the line between artistic and commercial filmmaking. Davis is fabulous in one of her best performances, and the seemingly 11 foot tall Debicki pretty much steals the show. There is also a frighteningly fun supporting turn by GET OUT's Daniel Kaluuya that probably deserved a Supporting Actor nomination. If you like a good heist thriller, I don't think you'll find one much better than this.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/24

Full Review

Kenneth L

I wanted to like this movie. I was told it was sort of spiritual sequel to Heat (as in what would happen in the aftermath). But, this movie was not that. It's a heist movie where the heist doesn't happen until the very end, is very quick, and isn't very interesting. Add in a bunch of plot conveniences and the movie just wasn't very good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/25/24

Full Review

Alec B

Its simple brutality is often staggering. Characters die suddenly, without fanfare and you're often never sure who is next. Davis obviously gives a knockout performance but so does Michelle Rodriguez who again proves she is so much better than what she usually gets to do.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/05/24

Full Review

Miguel S

The topic was nice. But the movie was really slow, 😕. I would not recommend to watch this movie because it felt like there was information that you couldn't understand about the topic. So in conclusion, DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/01/24

Full Review

Matthew D

Riveting heist with a surprisingly strong second half. Steve McQueen's heist thriller Widows (2018) is more of a pensive crime drama on the consequences of men's actions against women and their families. Gillian Flynn's script is quite excellent with complex female characters, engaging crime heist planning, genuinely shocking twists, and tense action. Her writing is so astute in dragging toxic men through the gutter of their selfish, brutal actions. I like how she props up these ladies from various backgrounds and humanizes them all with great sympathy. I did find that Hustlers does a similar thing better in a more original way, but as far as heist thrillers go, Widows is pretty solid. It's not Heat, but it isn't a Heat ripoff like nearly every heist film nowadays. Steve McQueen's direction is pretty creative, but he focuses on the acting performances and lets them talk. I do wish he extended his directorial vision further with some crazier shots. Sean Bobbitt's cinematography is quite pretty, but remains in these long wide shots during certain moments I wish had more close-ups for some deeper feelings. The heist itself is excellent and made me wish Warner got McQueen to direct a Batman movie or something, but that just might be Hans Zimmer's pounding score during the action. His music could have helped the slower quiet scenes with something extra. Widows' drama itself is carried by the lead actresses. Viola Davis is excellent as usual as the all female heist leader Veronica. She's an interesting heist leader precisely because Davis captures her lack of experience with a hard personality full of despair and uncertainty. She comes off as very strong and resolute, despite her inexperience. I liked Viola Davis a lot in Widows. Liam Neeson is surprisingly ruthless in Widows as Harry Rawlings. He's in Widows a lot more than I thought he'd be as Davis' husband. Neeson feels emotional, then his turn is so stunning that I was pretty amazed. He has surprising chemistry with Viola Davis too in their romantic scenes. I absolutely adore the effortless beauty and talented dramatic actress that is Elizabeth Debicki. She is frighteningly vulnerable with her real dramatic performance as the sadly insecure and ruthlessly abused Alice. Her perfect figure and sorrowful make Alice all the more devastating as men use her and she bears the majority of pain in Widows as she quietly suffers. I hope Hollywood casts Elizabeth Debicki in more lead actress roles as I've loved her ever since she was Jordan in The Great Gatsby. I think that Debicki is the most underrated actress in Widows. Michelle Rodriguez is really compelling, more than most of her roles, as the widow Linda. She feels realistic and strong with a practical sense that helps Widows constantly feel grounded. Cynthia Erivo gives her best acting yet as hairdresser Belle with her silent strength of will. Carrie Coon has an intriguing brief role as the widow Amanda. Robert Duvall is great as the racist old money politician Tom Mulligan. Colin Farrell is outstandingly convincing as the sleazy new money Chicago politician Jack Mulligan. Molly Kunz is great as Farrell's quietly present and totally aware assistant. Brian Tyree Henry is really excellent as a hopeful Chicago politician with ties to Chicago gangs named Jamal Manning. Daniel Kaluua steals the entire movie whenever he's on screen as the viciously intimidating Jatemme Manning. Joe Walker's editing really leaves scenes and shots playing a bit too long pretty often during Widows. His slower cutting style gives the drama more weight, but disengages you from scenes easily. Widows feels slower than it is, making 129 minutes drag on too long at times. Adam Stockhausen's sleek modern production design makes Chicago look like the future in certain rich abodes, while maintaining a gritty realism for the Southside homes. Jenny Eagan's costumes have a chic, modern style with slick, contemporary, all black, heist outfits for the ladies that look very cool. Ken Diaz, Ma Kalaadevi Ananda, and Jacqueline Fernandez' make-up makes every single lady look breathtakingly gorgeous, especially Elizabeth Debicki's flawless look. I appreciate how much craftsmanship went into Widows. In conclusion, I really liked Widows for its feminist themes and killer heist sequence. All the acting is superb, but Widows is a slow burn that will surely turn away action fans not wanting to dive deeper into crime drama within this unique thriller.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/17/23

Full Review

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Steve McQueen

Director

Viola Davis

Veronica

Colin Farrell

Jack Mulligan

Michelle Rodriguez

Linda

Elizabeth Debicki

Alice

Cynthia Erivo

Belle

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Widows: Trailer 2

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Widows: Trailer 1

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

McQueen sets a relentlessly portentous tone and employs lots of stark mise-en-scene, but all the fuss feels arbitrary here - the pulpy story simply doesn't warrant such grave stylization.

Feb 24, 2020

Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek

TIME Magazine

A thriller for modern women who identify more with the messiness of human lives than with flattened slogans about how great women, as a monolithic group, are.

Mar 8, 2019

Full Review

tt stern-enzi

WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)

A great ensemble cast, Steve McQueen lets loose on some of the formalism we've seen in some of his other films and, it moves really well.

Mar 4, 2019

Full Review

Ryan McQuade

InSession Film

Widows is a deconstruction of a heist movie, taking the genre to new and exciting heights.

Apr 4, 2024

Full Review

Greg Carlson

Vague Visages

Whether intimate and quiet or dynamic and deafening, scenes are staged with precision and vitality. For many, McQueen’s stylishness will help excuse the rubbery plot holes, lapses in logic and farfetched surprises...

Nov 8, 2023

Full Review

Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

The incoherence doesn't detract from what's a mostly entertaining movie.

Jan 5, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows -- Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle -- have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.

Director: Steve McQueen
Executive Producer: Bergen Swanson, Rose Garnett, Daniel Battsek, Sue Bruce Smith
Screenwriter: Steve McQueen, Gillian Flynn
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Film4, See-Saw Films
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content/Nudity|Language Throughout|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 16, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 22, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.4M
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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