Widows (2018)

Four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities take fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

Director:

Steve McQueen

Writers:

Gillian Flynn (screenplay by), Steve McQueen (screenplay by)

Stars:

Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 17 wins & 89 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Viola Davis	...	Veronica
Liam Neeson	...	Harry Rawlings
Jon Bernthal	...	Florek
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo	...	Carlos
Coburn Goss	...	Jimmy Nunn
Michelle Rodriguez	...	Linda
Alejandro Verdin	...	Xavy
Bailey Rhyse Walters	...	Gracie (as Bailey Walters)
Elizabeth Debicki	...	Alice
Carrie Coon	...	Amanda
Robert Duvall	...	Tom Mulligan
Colin Farrell	...	Jack Mulligan
Molly Kunz	...	Siobhan
James Vincent Meredith	...	John / Mulligan Man
Brian Tyree Henry	...	Jamal Manning

Storyline

"Widows" is the story of four women with nothing in common, except a debt left behind by their dead husbands' criminal activities. Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

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Plot Keywords:

heist | car chase | based on tv series | politician | girl gang | 

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Taglines:

Left with nothing. Capable of anything.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language throughout, and some sexual content/nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Viola Davis, one of the makeup artists on the movie wrangled the whole cast and crew into doing a 28-day cleanse. When she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014), Davis said: "We had to meditate every day, and do other stuff, and we couldn't eat. Well, we could eat - but we couldn't chew, and we couldn't suck." Out of the 28 days the liquid cleanse was supposed to last, Davis lasted for two days before she broke down and went to McDonald's.

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Goofs

When the husbands' gang is surrounded and the van explodes, it neatly separates into two halves as it was clearly cut in two by the production crew. Real explosions are not so neat.

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Quotes

Reverend Wheeler: So, what has happened to the world? That normal now passes as excellence? When did we lower our standards? There seems to be no expectation to go above and beyond what one might know, or might want to know. It seems people are blissful in their own ignorance. How far have we fallen? Indeed, how far have we fallen? We are living in an environment where people are blind. What you don't see, you don't know. Out of sight, out of mind. So now, ignorance is the new normal! In fact, ignorance is the ...

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Connections

Featured in CTV News at 11:30 Toronto: Episode dated 8 September 2018 (2018)

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Soundtracks

You Rock My World
Written by Michael Jackson, Fred Jerkins (as Fred Jerkins III), Lashawn Daniels (as LaShawn Ameen Daniels), Rodney Jerkins & Nora Payne
Performed by Michael Jackson
Published by MiJac Music (administered by Sony/ATV Songs LLC), Sony/ATV Melody, EMI April Music Inc., EMI Blackwood Music Inc., & (c) Published by Notting Hill Music (UK) Ltd. administered by Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Courtesy of MJJ Productions Inc.
Licensed by Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd.

User Reviews

Too many themes, too little time

Standout acting, especially from Viola Davis, cannot save this movie from thematic incoherence. So many themes are touched here-heist movie, loss, race, power politics, sexism, domestic abuse, sex work, etc.-that none seem fully formed. This would be a great novel, miniseries or other long form, but loses cohesion in a standard movie length.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English Spanish Polish

Release Date:

16 November 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Widows

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$12,361,307, 18 November 2018

Gross USA:

$42,402,632

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$75,984,700

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Regency Productions, See-Saw Films, Film4

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1