STARRING: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Daniel Kaluuya, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson
BASED ON: Widows by Lynda La Plante
RELEASE DATE: November 16
When a gang of thieves is killed, their widows are approached by crime boss Jamal Manning. Their husbands stole $2 million from Jamal, and he wants the money back so he can run for the town’s council.
Meanwhile, Jack Mulligan is under pressure from his father, the current council man, to campaign for the position, as he is about to retire. Veronica’s husband Harry was the gang’s leader, and upon his death, Veronica finds plans for Harry’s next job, which would make them $5 million.
Veronica calls Alice and Linda, who are the other widows. She tells them of the plan and how they would pay back Jamal his $2 million and split the rest. When Veronica visits the fourth widow, Amanda, she realises Amanda just had a baby and decides to leave her out of the plan.
The women recruit Bella, a struggling beautician and baby sitter, as their getaway driver. Their plan turns out to be about robbing the Mulligans. And old man Mulligan is not easily taken advantaged of.
In the end, the film gives us more than what it advertised. It not only tells the story of three widows who are overnight forced into becoming criminals but tells various stories of survival, betrayal and overcoming peril. There are elements of gangsterism, action, family relations and political saga. In the end, the film feels like a jumble of several genres roughly incorporated to make everyone’s character ‘fit in’.
The cast makes up for most of the missing pieces. Their acting, mixed with the little intrigue the film offers, is the bare minimum needed for our commitment during the two long hours it takes to tell the story.
Star Rating: 3/5