Widows

Steve McQueen’s source is not a film but Lynda La Plante’s 1983 ITV series, adapted with Gillian Flynn. Ann Mitchell, the original Dolly Rawlins, appears here as Amanda’s mother. Alice went to Jennifer Lawrence first and passed to Elizabeth Debicki on a schedule clash; Cynthia Erivo, who plays Belle, was making her first feature. The crew is usually called 4 widows, which is not how it works: Veronica, Linda and Alice do the robbery, the driver Belle is not a widow but Linda’s babysitter, and the remaining widow, Amanda, stays out. Most of the preparation is procurement, not strategy: Alice finds the guns and the van, Linda reads the plans. Sean Bobbitt shot on 35 mm film and holds Jack Mulligan’s drive home from a campaign speech in a poor ward in one take, camera fixed to the bonnet, so the argument inside is heard and never seen while the street turns from neglect to mansion in a few blocks. Viola Davis was nominated for the BAFTA for best actress in a leading role. A good fit if you want Chicago ward politics running as its own line as long as the robbery preparation does. Not for anyone who expects the film to lock onto the plan once the crew assembles, and who tires of the campaign and family scenes.