“Widows” – dark, devious, corrupt, nasty enchanting

Viola Davis takes the reins as the star of this sadistic, sarcastic and slightly overblown melodrama about crooks in trouble. Her sidekick and lover/husband, played by the ever dynamic Liam Neeson is a devious and mesmerizing conman who she finds hugely difficult to handle emotionally – all will be revealed when you see the film!

Women gangsters have been documented by British writer Lynda Plante, and this film is based on one of her stories.

Set in America, ladies in trouble, covering a multiracial cast, plot and scheme to get themselves out of danger by organizing a heist. The clever part of this movie is that we get to like the criminals as much as we like the nice guys yet no-one is free from the threat of violence, death or dishonor, which is well portrayed in the sub plot of Jack Mulligan ( Colin Farrell) fighting to keep the family name in politics in an area which is increasingly dominated by African Americans who want to seize power.

The lady gangsters find a meeting place and work out a convincing plan which includes safe breaking and practicing carrying a load of banknotes from there to a pickup van without falling over, with weights to imitate the money. Where they got the copy of banknotes for the weight they would be is anyone’s guess.

Good guys as well as bad guys and the in-betweenies in the political plot are all subject to having their schemes unharnessed and there are many twists and turns in the fortunes of all concerned.

Stars as well as Viola Davis, Colin Farrell and Liam Neeson, include Jon Bernthal, Manual Garcia-Rulfo, Michelle Rodriguez, Bailey Rhyse Walters and it is a multi star cast from any angle.

This is a film you may want to watch two or more times to really get to the nitty gritty of the plot and story…so get ready to enjoy…

Penny Nair Price