From acclaimed director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) and co-writer Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) comes a blistering, modern-day thriller with a powerful ensemble cast. When four armed robbers are killed in a failed heist attempt, their widows—with nothing in common except a debt left by their dead husbands’ criminal activities—take fate into their own hands to forge a future on their own terms.
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The film based on renowned author Lynda La Plante's book of the same name. The story tells of a robbery led by Harry Rawlings (Liam Neeson) that goes terribly wrong when all participants die when cornered after a chase. It turns out that Harry and his crew had stolen from crime boss Jamal Manning who needed the two million dollars to help finance his election ambitions, his opponent the equally underhanded operator Jack Mulligan (Colin Farrell) wants his money back and threatens Veronica (Viola Davis) Harry's widow giving her one month to pay him for her husband's deeds. Her Husband had left her a note of how to find his notebook which has plans for his next job, a 5 million dollar heist, certainly enough to give Jamal his money with 3 million to spare. She recruits two of the other widows Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) and Linda (Michelle Rodriguez) to assist, the fourth doesn't turn up for the initial meet-up, until now they didn't know each other, They will need to get a vehicle, weapons and indeed the location of Harry's plans.. When Veronica's driver is killed they will need to recruit a replacement getaway-driver, Linda suggests her babysitter Belle (Cynthia Erivo)....the actual robbery target somewhat of a surprise perhaps. With a superb cast-list the film is worthy of a glance, though in my opinion, it does take a while to get going. The film has a few scenes of a sexual nature, along with several violent sequences, and a twist or two along the way.
Viola Davis picks up her leading role and runs with it - epic performance.
Beware - the film is darker than the trailer would lead you to expect and demands concentration (no skipping off to make a cuppa).
The violence is proportionate without being self-indulgent. Mr. McQueen leaves space for the audience to draw their own conclusions. And he isn't afraid of silence or stillness. Hans Zimmer's soundtrack is used sparingly - just as well, as this viewer had several attacks of watery eyes. It's emotional where you least expect it.
I loved the 1983 TV series but I suggest that comparing it with this film is pointless - different countries, almost 40 years between the English series and US film, politics . . .and on it goes.
Respect to all involved, in front and behind the camera.
Well constructed plot. Well drawn and complex characters with real depth (except for one standard thug), excellently acted. It's an emotional journey more than a heist - which is a very small part of the film. It does have that heist, the corrupt officials, the violent underworld, all of which is unremarkable in itself, but the quality of the script, casting and characterisations transcend all of that. One of the best films of its type I've seen, simply excellent. I've not read the book or seen the TV series, so I'm simply commenting on the film without those comparisons to make.
This film won high praise from the critics, and I had wanted to see it since its release. However, we had to stop watching barely two minutes in, because the film inexplicably played with its anamorphic preset unstretched. That is the film was a widescreen film that was anamorphically squeezed, and should, on playback, have automatically broadened to its proper widescreen format - instead of the maddening vision of everyone being tall and thin! We have a Samsung TV, which I gather is susceptible to this problem with Amazon Prime: the screen format adjustment being bewilderingly greyed out, and all attempts to turn off the router, the TV, etc., etc., would not beat the problem. Other films and TV that I've tried from Amazon seem OK - so maybe its only this film. But consequently, our rental cost was wasted, and I need to take up this problem with a human at Amazon, sometime. It's worth saying that such issues have never arisen with Netflix - which always seems to work, painlessly!
Don't let the weird, sloppy, wide mouthed kiss from Liam Neeson in the opening shot distract you from the significance of that kiss. I thought he might swallow Viola Davis for a second! This was a diverse production that didn't celebrate cultural diversity but normalised it which I recognise as a large step forward in the struggle for acceptance across the cultures. The demonstration of diversity didn't stop there, the film also normalised the role of women as strong and capable, not greedy but happy to pull off one job and then walk away.... The struggles of different woman, all with their own issues trying to make it work, working mums and women trying to improve themselves following the death of their partners....even if the partners were criminals who didn't treat them very well.
The story was good, I liked it. It reminded me of older films where the format is typical with a few twist and turns and good triumphs over bad. It wasn't trying too hard to be interesting or intense.
Worth a watch on the Sunday before we go back to work....easy watching!
Totally unclear to me why we needed a black drug dealer / prospective councilman / psychopath in the movie. Liam Neeson was badly cast. From the beginning I knew he had to still be alive as they would hardly cast somebody of his profile in a role killed off after 10 minutes. It was also never clear to me why a bloke who was widely respected amongst both criminals and non-criminals turned out to be such an unmitigated bastard. And the ending was a total cop out. The women finding a car and ramming the bad guy; the fact that one of them was left outside a hospital with a bullet in her from Robert Duval but the cops never pursued this; and the cash in a bag for a library. Rubbish
Love this movie! it touches on the changes when your life partner is gone. life is hard and colder and those who are friends slowly disappear. But you live on and believe that the reason you exist is because you need to complete what God has for you. Just love yourself and smile and dance away :)
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