Most people are watching a football game on Thanksgiving Day but not me. No, instead I decided to go to the movies and boy am I glad that I did because Widows was for sure a good time. I mean I didn’t really doubt that it would be a good film, because of the immense talent involved. Not only is it directed by Steve McQueen (Shame, 12 Years a Slave) but it also stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson, Robert Duvall, Elizabeth Debicki, and Cynthia Erivo (who I immensely impressed by in Bad Times at the El Royale). One might would question if a film like this could have any flaws at all with all these people attached but it’s defnitely good.
By far the best thing this film has going for it is the cast. They really deliver the material in a strong powerful way. Viola Davis commands every single scene she’s in, ranging from being emotionally raw to being just badass. Cynthia Erivo is for sure a brand new star in Hollywood, I mean, I knew she had it in Bad Times, but I think this performance combined with the other solidifies it. I’m very excited about seeing more of her. Michelle Rodriguez is really good here, and I really enjoyed seeing her venture outside of her comfort zone to be involved in a film like this. Colin Farrell was a very good fit for his role, I’ve always been a fan of him, especially in a dramatic role. Neeson was fine, he didn’t have a whole lot to do but he did well with what he had. But I’ll tell you who really caught my attention, and stood out to me is Elizabeth Debicki, I thought she was so passionate and genuine in her performance. This is a story about people fighting back against the forces at be, so strong and commanding performances are very much necessary.
The story is about one central thing as I thought it would be from the trailers, but what I didn’t expect were some of the interesting subplots that the film works in. There’s a very interesting one that is introduced after a twist is revealed, and I will say that I didn’t expect this one. What’s very impressive to me is how this film manages to balance a couple subplots with the main story that’s being followed.
This is for a well written film. as it gives enough material to each of the main characters. The film is directed very well, each scene filmed in a captivating way. You can really tell a difference when the directing is poor and McQueen succeeds here.
Widows is not without its issues, even with all the great positives it has to offer. The one thing that I just couldn’t really get past was that even though I liked where they were going with one of the subplots, they didn’t fully flesh it out. I was left to connect a couple dots to make complete sense out of it. While it is a rather minor complaint, since everything else was done so well, it would’ve been nice to have had those last little details paid attention to. There aren’t really any other negatives I can think of, everything else is solid.
Widows didn’t shake me to my core or have me saying it’s one of the best of the year but it is a very well done crime drama. I suggest this film due to the performances alone, they really are that good.
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