Widows (2018)

Set in Chicago, a woman (Viola Davis) living a luxurious life in a penthouse with her professional criminal husband (Liam Neeson) finds herself a widow after he is killed in a million dollar heist that goes terribly wrong. When the man (Brian Tyree Henry) her husband stole the money from gives her a month to repay him the money or else, she contacts the other widows of the men killed in the heist. Based on the novel by Lynda La Plante and directed by Steve McQueen in his first film since the Oscar winning 12 YEARS A SLAVE. Wow! All I can say is wow! Let's face it, most crime films even the most stylish and entertaining ones are usually pretty shallow. However, this being Steve McQueen, you know it's going to be more than just another heist movie and wow, does this movie deliver! Most heist films spend a lot of time on how the criminals are going to carry off their plan but McQueen minimizes that because that's not what he's really interested in. But this is still one hell of a rollercoaster ride with twists and turns you didn't see coming while investing the film with strong female characters with layered emotionally complex lives. Davis gives another fierce performance (and a prime Oscar contender) but the other actresses (Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo) are pretty spectacular too. If this film isn't a huge hit, I'll be shocked! With Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Daniel Kaluuya, Carrie Coon, Jacki Weaver and Lukas Haas.