“Widows” by Steve McQueen premiered at the 62nd London Film Festival as an Opening Night Gala movie

Widows (2018) – What if your dead husband left you debts worth 2 million US dollars?

by J. Richarz

After winning an Oscar for his movie “12 Years a Slave”, director Steve McQueen took the opportunity to release a new film with four powerful women in the main roles. His new thrilling movie “Widows” is an adaption from a British TV crime drama which was broadcasted in 1983. Next, to McQueen, novelist, and screenwriter Gillian Flynn, known from Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, worked her magic in the film. “Widows” shows an enjoyable dark and sleazy version of ordinary lives, the only difference is that this version has street thuggery, daily corruption, and local machine politics.

The movie, set in contemporary Chicago, shows four women with one single thing in common – a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activity. Without any experience or knowledge, these widows decide to take fate into their own hands and plan a robbery of 5 million US dollars. From there the women have to find their individual strength to survive especially when most of the men in their world are either cut-throat criminals or corrupt politicians. This story has far more to tell when you look at it under the surface.

Widows is thematically about how people move on and rebuild themselves in a broken society. Viola Davis’s outstanding performance roots this scenario in icy fear and shock, while putting goosebumps on the bodies of the audience. What makes this movie so different from all the other heist movies is, that McQueen makes sure to give Viola Davis complete power and confidence but still portrait her as the victim. A victim of a society that is not looking out for her or anyone else.

It’s every man — every woman — for herself.

The strongest aspect of “Widows” is the way the movie gets us — and keeps us — rooting. Yet while the film is filled with observations about race, sex, class, and politics by a newly indifferent America.

Find the trailer below and watch the movie!

Follow us on our social media handles, YouTube for red carpet interviews, DRM.AM for previews and reviews and Instagram for the ultimate BFI London Film Festival feeling!