Imagine the odds of something like this happening…
Four men are killed by the police in an attempted heist. Or was it three? Their widows [who have “nothing in common”] get together to pull off a heist themselves.
Carry on Hollywood.
Still, it is directed by Steve McQueen. And co-written by Gillian Flynn. The cast is stellar. And it garnered a 91% fresh rating at RT.
In part, it’s the age old story of women who go about the business of living more or less ordinary lives thrust into a situation in which crossing over to the dark side allows them to gain considerably more substantive [substantial] lives. If, of course, that is an age old story. It does pop up rather frequently [for both men and women] in the cinema. At least I’m assuming it does.
Then this part: Contemporary Chicago. The backdrop for it all. There are criminals both in and out of the government. And it is always about the Benjamins. And class and race and the politics of gender. Corruption and cynicism go hand in hand. Unless of course you are still an idealist. Not many them around here though.
Basically, it is a film in which almost everything has already been covered over and over again “at the movies”. As one IMDb reviewer put it: “Woman power. Black power. Racist old white men. Corrupt politicians. Abusive husbands. Cheating white husbands. Racist cops. Men are bad. Women are strong and good.”
Of course you’ll have to decide for yourself if the list is either too long or too short.
Bottom line: With films like this the cliches will either seem fresh or stale. And you’ll get drawn into them anyway or you won’t.
And, for what it’s worth, it’s based on [of all things] “a 1980s British TV show”: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widows_(TV_series
IMDb
[b]According to Steve McQueen, Colin Farrell and Robert DuVall improvised many of their scenes.
This was Steve McQueen’s first film as a director since his Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave (2013).
Olivia the dog had her own trailer on the set. [/b]
trivia at IMDb: imdb.com/title/tt4218572/tr … tt_trv_trv
at wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widows_(2018_film
trailer: youtu.be/nN2yBBSRC78
Widows [2018]
Written in part and directed by Steve McQueen
[b]Carlos: What, you accusing me of stealing your money?
Linda: Why do you look surprised? You do it for a living.
Carlos: Where you get the balls? What I do for this family. I risk my life.
Linda: Yeah. You risk your life and then you piss it up a wall.
…
Jack: My father always thought it was a good idea to keep the lines of communication open with his opponent. Keep things honest, dignified.
Jamal: Maybe he could be more honest and open about whatever deal he made with the city council to call this special election instead of waiting until February like the law says. He had to step down.
Jack: He had a heart attack. Who does waiting serve?
Jamal: Everyone who’s not named Mulligan.
Jack: First time I’ve run for office. I’m already ahead of you by 12 points in the polls. The Mulligans have run the 18th ward for 60 years. My grandfather, my father. These days it’s all about name recognition. You wanna go against me?
Jamal: You don’t inherit a ward, Jack. You run for it.
Jack: You have much experience in government?
Jamal: I live here.
Jack: So do I.
Jamal: No, no, no. You, uh, own a house one block into the ward. A house people might actually want to live in.
Jack: It’s a smart idea. Running headquarters from a church. I mean, it’s illegal. There’s that whole church and state thing.
Jamal: More illegal than nepotism?
Jack: Nepotism isn’t illegal. It’s actually celebrated. This is Chicago.
Jamal: Your daddy can put you on some commission where people don’t have no say. Let you be a big boy, play with a few trains, but…
Jack: Extending the Green Line is the best thing for the people of the 18th ward. Brings them closer to jobs, closer to culture.
Jamal: Those people don’t seem to be the ones getting rich though, Jack.
Jack: What about you, Jamal? What have you been doing to improve the lives of the people of Chicago? I bet your reputation’s a real problem for your communications team.
Jatemme: Maybe you the one who need the communications team.
Jamal: I’ve never been arrested. Let’s see if you can say that a few months from now.
…
Jatemme: Why you wanna go into politics anyway, man? Passing bills and shit. Whatever the fuck they do.
Jamal: Alderman of this ward makes a $104,000 a year.
Jatemme: Shit, we make more than that in a week.
Jamal: But then you add in the juice, right? He gives his friend a contract for a new building, gets a kickback. Gives his brother a contract for construction. Hell, he give his mama a contract for construction. That man owns a piece of every fucking thing. The only people coming after him, they got cameras and microphones. People coming after us with guns. I’m 37 years old, Jatemme. I don’t want this life no more. I want his fucking life.
…
Tom [father]:Did you get him to concede? Go back to his normal business? Now, let me tell you something. I don’t wanna see you become the first Mulligan…to lose to a nigger. Especially this guy. He’s tricky. Okay?
Jack: He’s staying in.
…
Jack: Maybe you shouldn’t have been such a hard-ass. Now, if you’d have just rolled over for the mayor on that housing development…
Tom: I don’t roll over for anybody! Okay? He had his agenda, I had mine.
Jack: Look where that’s got us. The lines of the ward are redrawn and we’re down 7,000 votes that would’ve gone our way. You created this problem. Now we might be left without a pot to piss in.
…
Jamal: I didn’t know your husband, not really. But he stole two million dollars from me. He stole it…right out of a van like he knew where it would be. I just wanna know why.
Veronica: I’m not involved in my husband’s business at all and I don’t know why you’re here.
…
Jamal: You see, that money was meant to buy me a new life, help with my campaign. You understand?
Veronica: Listen, I don’t have your money. Now, why don’t you just go out and make more?
Jamal: This is about my life! This is about my life. Because it’s about my life, it now becomes about yours.
Veronica: I told you. I don’t know anything…
Jamal: No, and even if that’s true, you have a nice penthouse here. You got a lot of nice furniture, you got cars, you got a closet full of clothes, none of which burnt up in the van, by the way. I’ll give you one month to liquidate.
Veronica: I’ll call the police.
Jamal: Mrs. Rawlings, do you know what the police did the night that Harry died? Do you? They laughed. They laughed over his melted, burnt body, and they scraped whatever they could into a bag and they went to a bar to celebrate, because they give zero fucks about Harry Rawlings’ fucking widow. You’re nothing now. Welcome back…One month.
…
Jack: Have you ever slept with a black guy?
Siobhan: What does that have to do with Jamal, or anything?
Jack: Just answer the fucking question.
Siobhan: We are in a situation where you could lose everything. You’ve got the IG’s office and the Feds breathing down your neck. You got Jamal Manning climbing in the polls, and all you’re concerned with is whether or not your dick is bigger than his?
Jack: What are we fighting for? This? You know how many shootings happened in this city last weekend alone? Thirty-four! These people are killing each other! This is not where I wanna raise my children. What are we fighting for exactly? I feel suffocated!..I never wanted to be in this fucking business and that’s all this is. It’s a fucking business!
Siobhan: Wake the fuck up, Jack. You are not going to pussy out now. What are you gonna do? Work in a bank? Take the train downtown, punch a clock? This is your life! This is our life. It’s what we do. Everyone has a fucking sob story, most of them better than yours. So, if the idea is to be mayor one day, you’d better man the fuck up!
Jack [utterly resigned]: Jesus. Dollar signs and empty promises. Anybody who thinks different are fooling themselves.
…
Veronica: Listen. We’re in trouble. It was Jamal Manning’s money that our husbands stole.
Linda: Who’s that?
Alice: Somebody you don’t wanna fuck with.
Veronica: The money burnt up in the van, and Jamal Manning, he wants it back. Harry left me the plans for his next job. It’s worth five million dollars. I take two million, give it to the Mannings. We split the rest…Listen, our lives are in danger. Our husbands aren’t coming back. We’re on our own.
…
Reverend [to a black congregation]: 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…Ignorance is the new excellence. The less you know the more seemingly you gain. Not to care is deemed to be smart. When you subtract love from any equation, from any situation, from any location, the result is always hurt and pain on all sides. That is why we need to bring love back into the equation. Love. In Jesus’ words, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” So he can hear you on high, say it with me. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor - as thyself.”[/b]
And then once the congregation is gone…
[b]Jamal: So you’re endorsing the Mulligans. Can we go now?
Reverend: I didn’t say that. The ward has been redrawn. The Mulligans weren’t playing ball. For the first time, someone like us has a shot. I’d be an idiot to ignore that.
Jamal: I’m gonna cut to the chase here, Reverend. I’m in the driving seat, I just don’t have a set of wheels. All I need is your endorsement and your contribution to help me get across the finish line.
Reverend: How much of a contribution do you need? And what’s it worth to you?
Jamal’s associate: You mean worth in terms of funding? I can fill you in on that, but what matters is that you’re with us.
The Reverend’s phone rings]
Reverend: Someone’s ears are burning. Gentlemen, let’s discuss this further another time. One always must weigh out options.
Reverend [into the phone]: Jack Mulligan. How are you, my brother? No, you know me. Praising Jesus, as always.
…
Veronica: This money is for the guns.
Alice: Guns?
Veronica: Three Glocks. Ammo, too. No more than $2,000.
Alice: Me? From where?
Veronica: It’s America.
…
Alice: What are you doing here?
Veronica: I didn’t know where else to go.
…
Veronica: They killed Bash.
Alice: Who did?
Veronica: The Mannings.
Alice: What? How do you know?
Veronica: I know. I’m not Harry. All this damage, I… I can’t be responsible for all of it.
Alice: Why do you have to be?
Veronica: Because I don’t own anything. Not even the apartment I live in. I have nothing.
Alice: We can’t tell Linda about Bash. She’ll back out.
…
Amanda [to Harry]: We should have left sooner, like you said we would. You always want more.
…
Harry [to Jack]: Your medical examiner friend open his mouth yet?
…
Harry: What about that detective scumbag, Fuller?
Jack: He’s just happy that you’ll never show your face in Chicago again. He’s retiring a wealthy man.
Harry: You know, your guys went a little heavy on the accelerants. I was lucky to get away with half of that.
Jack: I want the full amount, Harry. One million, like we agreed.
Harry: I thought this was about stopping the Mannings?
Jack: Don’t think you can fuck me over like you did your crew.
…
Jack: I want that money.
Harry: I can get your money, but I need time.
Jack: Before the election. If not…you’re gonna be alive again. In all the worst ways.
…
Alice: Is everything just a transaction?
David: They brought us these drinks, next they’re gonna bring us the bill. It’s the way the world works, as far as I’m concerned.
…
Linda: Belle, can you drive?
Belle: Why?
…
Tom: Let me get this straight. You fire Hillsman. He’s been working with our family for 30 years. So you just put a bullet in him. When the polls drop to, what, three percent? Why? Why?
Jack: I got a new guy coming on. Black guy. British.
Tom: Black guy? Oh, really? A black guy.
Jack: Gavin Cunningham. - What?
Tom: Fuck me and fuck him! Fuck you and fuck the fucking horse you came in on! You fucking asshole! What a fucking asshole you are! Talk about loyalty. Hey! Maybe I’ll call the mayor and tell him we gotta have this election tomorrow, before things get any worse.
Jack: You won’t call the mayor. I will take care of Manning at the debate, and that will be the end of it. Might I add, running in your shadow would be a hell of a lot easier if there weren’t piles of shit scattered everywhere I walk!
Tom: Keep your fucking mouth shut, or I’ll fucking whip your ass! Today! I can still do it. Believe me. Okay? JFK, huh? You think you’re gonna make things better. They’re not gonna be any better. You think you’re gonna change things? Change them to what? You’re not gonna change anything! They’ll never change under you. The only thing that matters is that we survive. That’s all. Look around you. It’s like Custer’s Last Stand. It’s kill or be killed. Now, listen to me, son. Listen, we made this city. We’re not having it taken away from us by people who come here illegally… or by people who can’t stop, you know…making babies. That means staying in power…at all costs. You got that? Yeah?
Jack: You listen to me, Father. I’m looking forward to the day when all this bullshit is over and I don’t have to talk to people like you. Because…Because you won’t be here anymore.
…
Veronica: From what I understand, we both have a Jamal Manning problem.
Jack: You don’t…You don’t live in my ward, Mrs. Rawlings. But if you’re aware of a crime, you should really go to the police.
Veronica: Mr. Mulligan, you said whenever I needed help. Now, your family’s been involved in Harry’s life for many years. When I say help…I mean help.
Jack: I understand, but…I’m not my father. As you can see, the years have taken a toll on him…and I do not want to go down that same road. So with much admiration and respect for your late husband and yourself, of course… I don’t see what I can do. What I’ve learned from men like my father…and Harry…is that you reap what you sow.
Veronica: Let’s hope so.
…
Veronica: Now, all of our work is worth nothing if we don’t move this money and fast. The notebook says five million dollars. That’s exactly the amount of money Mulligan was accused of taking in commission kickbacks. So over here we have two million dollars. Twenty Tupperware boxes. Each box has 100,000 dollars in 100-dollar bills. It weighs 44 pounds. Now, over here we have two million dollars. Forty Tupperware boxes. Each box has 50,000 dollars in 50-dollar bills. It weighs 88 pounds…Now, that bag had double the weight of before.
Linda: Why the fuck would you do that?
Veronica: Because I had to think of the best-case scenario and the worst-case scenario. We gotta move fast. We gotta start thinking like professionals. We’re in business together. There’s not gonna be some cozy reunion. After this job, we’re done. We have three days to look and move like a team of men. The best thing we have going for us is being who we are. Why? Because no one thinks we have the balls to pull this off.
…
Veronica: Everybody ready?
Linda: You got the codes?
Veronica: Something goes wrong…you’re all on your own.
…
Jamal [at the debate]: Chicago is a city in free fall. Money, greed, avarice. Fat cats in city hall getting fatter on our meals. Yeah. We, the people, are not people to them. We are a mass of ugly need they don’t want to see. Let us have a chance at life. Not just to exist, but to live.[/b]
And how corrupt and cynical is this?
[b]Harry: Yeah. It was meant to be simple. Why couldn’t you just sell the book to Jamal and leave it at that, Ronnie? You’re not supposed to be here.
Veronica: You left me alone, you evil bastard. Wanted to start a new life with your new son, your new white, happy family.
Harry: I couldn’t save him, Ronnie! I couldn’t save us! I had to save me! Me!..I need the money.
…
News reporter: Muted celebrations in the Mulligan camp as Tuesday’s election results sink in. In a late rally, there was a resounding victory for Jack Mulligan, seen as a sympathy vote following the murder of Alderman Tom Mulligan. Reverend John Wheeler was outside the Mulligan residence this morning to talk to reporters.
Reverend: Brothers and sisters, we ask that you keep Jack Mulligan in your prayers as he tries to find the strength, with God’s help, to begin his term of office and to continue the program of change initiated by his beloved father. I know you remember all the good work the Mulligans have done for this community. So we hope that you will join us Sunday. We will be holding a service for Tom Mulligan to pay our respects to this great servant of our ward.[/b]