@Trey Atkins i was slightly disappointed. The punch of the "driver/loyal friend" dying didnt hit me. Them wrecking into one of the bad guys, him looking like he had control of the vehicle immediately after, then losing control and dying was oddly shot. No real confrontation with the "side chick" (less of an issue) Colin ferral seemed like the crooked politician (which he was) but then became a "symathetic figure"/ not to bad of a guy, was odd (more odd when you see him and liam neeson together on the boat) I can understand the story decisions but dont think any of them packed the punch. Think just flawed writing sadly.
Chicago as the backdrop is a major character in this movie. Colin Farrell is very much like a Chicago politician in this movie as well as Robert Duval. Daniel Kaluuya he was very menacing in his performance which made his screen time very unpredictable and edge worthy. Having lived in Chicago for a good part of my life I felt like I was right there with the characters. It’s also worth noting that this could be one of Michelle Rodriguez’s best performances of any film she’s ever appear in.
Literally just got out of the cinema & saw this - perfect timing! I absolutely loved the film. Although I understand how some of the plot points could be distracting (& very Flynn-esque!), there was nothing that came out of the blue. Would be very interested in a spoiler review though - if you guys have the time!
Briana Hicks just edited by original post to say! I loved it. I actually found it much more moving than I thought I would. The performances were amazing (although after having seen Bad Times at the El Royale, I was disappointed that there was relatively little Erivo). Have to disagree with Dan that it needed to be cut down in editing; it seemed to me that everything was placed extremely carefully throughout the film. Although, hard agree re: Robert Duvall’s performance. Extremely odd.
This was really hard to talk about without spoiling anything - not sure if we'll have time to do a spoiler review for this one, but I'm glad you enjoyed the film! - Dan
ScreenJunkies News I was impressed with how well you did - I had trouble typing a spoiler-free comment... Thank you for entertaining me (almost) every day!
Seen Widows last week and it was just fantastic for me it's a straight 4.5/5 and Steve McQueen winning streak continues. For me personally it deserves a bunch of nominations and wins particularly screenplay, best pic, best actress (Viola Davis) and best supporting actor (Daniel Kaluuya) he was literally the best performance in the film every scene that he is in is just exceptional.
Dan, do you use a Teleprompter and pre-written script in the videos where you appear alone to review a movie? I would imagine it is much more difficult to give a monologue than to converse about a film with another host.
Yes, I used a prompter for this one and try to do it when I have to do a solo review. It's way harder to stay on track when you're just rambling to a camera as opposed to having someone to bounce thoughts off of, and I try not to give our awesome editors too much extra work to do! - Dan
ScreenJunkies News Thank you for your reply, Dan. The effort you put into critiquing and reviewing films, as well as your love of movies, shines through in everything you do. Thanks also to everyone behind the camera at SJU, like those awesome editors.
I love Dan's reviews! I may not always agree with all them, but his knowledge of films is excellent and his point of view, always interesting and thoughtful.
One thing to remember is this review would count as fresh on Rotten tomatoes, so while the score is high , there could be several reviews like this where they had problems but ultimately recommended it.
I thought it was unnecessarily slow.... some odd moments and camera shots...BUT, some great shots like the face to face moment with the cripple man at the bowling alley when they are on the floor. But it took way too long to get to an ending that was way too short and just left me feeling like Veronica went through way too much for way too little.
i would love to see your spoiler review of this film. I don’t actually get out to the cinema much these days so I have to experience it vicariously through SJU!
I'm surprised you're so down on this film, Dan. I would never expect typical Hollywood thrills from Steve McQueen and I am glad Widows doesn't follow the average path to it's heist conclusion. If you want thrills, watch Den of Thieves, or quirky characters, pop songs and some laughs, you have Ocean's 8. You want some actual substance and an involving story, I highly recommend Widows
The best thing about how Dan does reviews is that while I disagree with him, I feel like we could talk and talk and talk nicely for hours and never be tired or angry. God I love him!
DO A SPOILER REVIEW!!! edit: Also, from what I can tell, Colin Farrell did a really good Chicago accent. From what I've heard of them, he has a less pronounced, but really good accent.
I thought this movie and the main characters' (development and actors' performances) were great! The intensity and build up in the beginning was palpable but as the actual heist approaches, the film dropped off for me, and the wrap up at the end left me indifferent. Also, I agree that some of the side plots (especially having to do with Daniel Kaluuya's character and the Mulligan family drama) dragged out or were unnecessary altogether. Overall I liked the film. I would give it a 7-8/10.
Excellent review. Your message was clear and concise. I guess (like you), that I’m in the minority. I’m somewhere in the middle. I didn’t hate this movie, but it could’ve been a lot better. I actually thought I was gonna give this movie a good review based on the story’s unique premise, as well as all the talented people attached to it. Anyways keep up the good work man.
I 100% agree with you on this one. I was in fact expecting a much more action-packed heist movie based on the trailer, as you said. That’s obviously not what we got, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but I agree that it could have been cut down and that some plot points were questionable. Thanks for the review Dan!
My thought when leaving the theater was, "It wasn't bad, but it was not the movie that was advertised." I was expecting the movie to build to a tense, clever heist. The heist itself felt anti-climactic. I thought some of the events during the heist scene opened up a few threads that they just glossed over so they could give the protagonists a somewhat happy ending.
Great review Dan! I haven't seen it yet, but hope to soon, maybe next weekend after I get paid. even before I've seen it, I'll agree Farrell doing an Irish Bostonian accent is an odd choice. Not because they're set in Chicago, but because he's supposed to be Duvall's son, and Duvall only has one accent. That's not something that takes me out of movies though, so it's no big deal. I also find it funny how many comments are treating it like you're trashing the movie. I thought this was a very nuanced, insightful interview. I can't wait to see where my opinion falls. :)
Solid review style Dan. I thought I was listening to Ebert. Whether people agree or disagree with the review, you've presented a well thought out (spoiler free) review based on more than just your feelings about the movie, well done.
There is one scene I didn't like. The second scene with Duval says two lines that I think was too on the nose in terms of what they were going for. Everything I else I adored. It is intense, thoughtprovoking and at most times geniuenly subtle. Gillian Flynn deserves an oscar for that script. Honestly brilliant writing. At this point I'd give it cinematography and direction too and would be completely behind best picture, even though I am still on First Man as my favorite. What a flick!
Going to see this at the weekend. I hope it lives up to the original tv series this film was based on. It was a fantastic series when it first aired and groundbreaking having mostly all female leads in a crime drama.
Dan, you are the man. Thanks for being awesome and always working so hard to give us a clear and concise review. However... nope no however. You are just great.
S/o to Dan for the comment on Colin’s accent in the film, bc I’ve been sitting on this for a month following Austin Film Fest and I feel like I was the only one who noticed that his accent wasn’t normal 😂
You're the voice of my critic's mind. I literally was saying all those criticisms after watching the movie to my wife. I can recommend it to people who can get through slow burn movies, but I would not watch this again. I personally find it more disappointing than I wanted it to be :(
It is a shame that I did not see this review prior to seeing the film, because now having seen it, I believe this is probably one of the most honest critical reflections of the movie that I've listened to or read so far. I as well had been anticipating this film since its first trailer dropped in the middle of this year, and I wanted it to be every bit as spectacular as other critics have been making it out to be. Sadly, I didn't feel the same way about it. It is a good film (by no stretch of the imagination) but a lot of people are saying that it's a masterpiece, and that Viola Davis and Steve McQueen can do no wrong, and I cannot agree with that. There's no debating their exceptional skills at the craft, but everybody misses the mark from time to time. The subplots and poorly executed attempts at delving into deeper themes were certainly a major problem with this movie, and it certainly took time away from the main story of the four women planning the heist, which was the far more interesting storyline. And this is what has confused me about other critics, because a lot of other critics are praising the fact that the film really emphasises the women's struggles to prepare themselves for the task at hand, and really gives you the sense that they are out of the depth. It delves into that to a small extent but definitely could've did more with it had they focused on it more, and the film suffers as a result.
A wonky accent has never taken me out of a movie and really shouldn't be something that "ruins" a performance. Silence has a bunch of english speakers talking in a portugese accent (they should just actually be speaking the language) that isn't always consistent. The performances are still great. I never get WHY an odd accent ruins a character. It may be jarring but being in the movie long enough usually is enough to get past that oddity and to the heart of the performance. JACKIE did a similar thing, but eventually I just took Natalie Portman as having that voice and I latched on to her VULNERABLE character.
Its this year's 3 Billboards. A slightly quirky take on a traditional story. Yes it is a bit slow and deliberate, yet it is also very twisty and turny. Some really daft moments, and some fantastic (the drive from the poor area to the rich).. I really liked it.
Dan is bang on with this review, the hugely positive reviews I have read up to now have been misleading. This is a crime story not a Heist story. That said the acting was very good . It has to be given some of the characters actions driven by some pretty ropey plotting.
I just watched Widows, and have to agree with you on some points. I do think that Viola Davis and the other actresses were the main focus to me. Watching their interactions made me not care about the films tempo, even the scenes between Veronica and Bash were good. I wish the scene with the two men on the boat didn’t happen and Daniel Kaluuya was frightening making me root for the women to beat the odds. There were two scenes that could have just been cut still this was a favorite film of 2018.
kittkat42 the boat scene was to introduce the fact, her husband was in with a politician who they were set too rob, was definitely necessary. Connects with the ending of how he knew where she was because he knew what she would do and he would win/win
@@hearanecho Yeah, I get that but I feel like they could have come up with a better way of doing that or cut back the dialogue, and just show what happened. Than come back and have the tail in of the dialogue where Harry is threatened. Just like the scenes with the political angle, I got more from observing them in close quarters. The scene in the car was a favorite. I can't help that I would prefer the film stayed mostly with the women. I will still watch it because I enjoy it very much.
I generally agree with your review although I found the side plot with Colin Farrell to be some of the most interesting parts of it & I didn't mind his accent. My issues were with the chemistry between Davis & Neeson who I found great on their own but who either seemed too into it or not into it enough when they were together. The beginning heist had some irritating tropes like people standing in the open at close range to shoot at each other & their escape being dependent on a lucky car accident. The ending too had some plot holes that were quickly skipped over which really impacted the believably for me. There were scenes that were entertaining if somewhat redundant like the execution by Kaluuya. Other than that I really enjoyed the action, the cinematography, the performances, the setup for the heist & the heist itself. I liked that the characters were well developed & the political sub plot kept you guessing as to how the whole thing would play out. I thought the scene in the limo was a cinematic masterclass in show don't tell, subtle world building & social commentary but also allowing for an exposition dump without using the dull scene we've seen hundreds of times. I think we can agree that it had the potential to be great & is still very enjoyable but is ultimately flawed.
I really enjoyed it. I believe your review was spot on! I enjoyed the story telling, the character building, and the acting, and yes most movies can improve on something. Worse part of the movie was Colin Farrell's accent. Hurt my ears. lol.
I just got out of seeing the movie, I went in knowing the what the run time is and honestly I never felt like it was too slow or boring. Overall I liked the movie and would recommend it.
I think it was a great movie but it was definitely missing something. Colin Farrell wasn’t necessary in this roll, I wish they got someone else. And the father and son interaction could’ve been better. Two things that were missing. WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THE MONEY AFTER. Did they all spilt it ? Did they pay the guy they owed? Or both. Another problem was the relationship with viola davis husband and his mistress. They needed to give us more backstory on that.
I saw this last week and honestly was very dissapointed. It was boring, had pointless subplots and was nothing like what the trailers promoted. The entire heist took literally about 5 minutes from start to end and the rest of the build up was unbelievably slow.. I was swayed by the good reviews and numbers but was let down. Overall average to poor movie, would not reccomend if you want to be entertained.
3332matt I couldn’t agree more! Characters were underdeveloped and I believe that had a lot to do with the way this movie is written; Lots of unnecessary scenes followed by some bland dialogue. I felt the movie tried to cover too many things, and the true meaning of the film got lost within the excessive plot. I walked out the theatre thoroughly disappointed; especially after all the hype this film received. I wish I would have seen your comment before watching 😂
This movie was not meant for entertainment it was there to tell a story and make a point and so do criticize it for not being entertaining enough it's extremely laughable and personally I find it disrespectful to the filmmaker because it is not their job to personally Entertain You it is their job to make the piece of art that they want to make.
@@KotorFan-zb1bo I disagree, movies are made to make money off people going to see them or buying them. People spend money on movies because they are entertained on some level, even in sad or scary films. Therefore, ultimately the director's job is to entertain as many people as possible. Wether or not the director wanted to "make the piece of art" they envisinoed is irrelevant, it's a terrible movie compared to what it was set up to be by trailers and good reviews. Of course I'm going to criticize it, it'a boring, slow, lacks focus and not interesting at all. Personally find it disrespectful? Get off the internet if you can't handle other people's opinions. Boohoo my opinion doesn't match yours... go read some comments that praise the movie then.
@@3332matt movies ar3 what the artist wants them to be they are not made specifically to conform to your narrow views. An artist's job is to make the piece of art that they want to make art is not made to entertain it is made to tell a story and contribute something to society.
I would say the only that should've been cut was the story about Viola's son, while timely, it did feel shoe-horned in there. Otherwise, this is a brilliant film looking at city politics, it's ties to the criminal underworld and how that hurts more than helps it's residents.
Better than Oceans and literally all of the all-female remakes thus far at least. Aside from Colin Farrell's accent and Duvall, it's a really well done movie. Could have used another 15-30 minutes in the ending, but nothing's perfect.
This film was enjoyable entertainment, but not much more than that. Too many characters, too much plot. It didn't feel at all like it was directed and edited by the two people who directed and edited three of the greatest films ever made: Hunger, Shame, and 12 Years a Slave. And maybe they should have cast Fassbender in one of the leading men's roles? He's already proven in other McQueen films that he can do an American accent better then Farrell! Viola Davis was fucking incredible, per usual. The way she carried that dog around for the whole film and was constantly dressed better than everyone around her made me think she'd make a good Bond villain one day...
I can understand why some people like it, but I found it utter boring, and the payoff compared to the builup was weak, characters were introduced who pretty much had no impact on the plot, plotholes which made no sense, the story has huge logic hurdles it just glances over, and ultimately I thought that Viola Davis acted badly. Having almost forgotten about Suicide squad I and her performance there I wished she atleast had some script to work with. But no. It felt forced and I couldn't make up how she felt.
Why didn't she just open the damn door when the dog was barking and she sees the liquor bottle of her dead husband..any normal person in the real world would open the door - this is when I murmured out loud that this movie is ridiculous
This movie was slow as shit. I was going into the movie expecting a slow burn but didn't realize how boring the characters would be. The only interesting one was Viola Davis' Veronica. There are so many useless, boring scenes. I hated it!
3:00 This had me laughing so hard! 😂 Colin Farrell did that? Oh goodness XD Love your reviews, maybe I'll give it a try on VOD. I always enjoy your, and Roth's!, takes on films, and love SJU videos, you all rock!
I love the movie.but it didn't make any sense why the main character husband betrayed her. leaving me with so much confusion..and both parties son died in such away that I cannot comprehend.He was with other women cuz of there son death..??????
I think you guys should give a rating like 1 to 10 or 1 to 5 in your reviews, cause it feels like at the end like there are 3 category of movies - not recommended, good but with flaws, and recommended. even with the reasons and thoughts behind it, it might make it more clear where you put it on a scale. its weird Dan is not a rating guy, it'd go well with charting.. the whole numerical approach I mean. but I guess he only likes numbers when they represent something objective.
In Rotten Tomatoes, if u view all critic reviews for this movie, you'll find his numerical value for Widows. I won't tell u here so u can see 4 urself...
I actually prefer this. There's such totality in a general score. The reasons he would rate it less might not significantly effect your enjoyment of a film. There's nuance lost in an overall score.
@@jonasdiaz8615 For those who want to know its 6.8/10 I like to put it in numbers, cause based on the review it can be anything between above 5 and around 7 from what I could tell.. when it comes to not recommended movies, its even more vague, like how much of a stinker it is. But its interesting to see his ratings for the movies he reviews. At the very least I can try to guess it based on the review and then see how close I got, its fun. Id like to know his score of Gotti and the Jaws..
I know Spencer and Joe are goofballs, but I think Roth is just as insightful in their joint reviews. They might make a pun or two, but Roth and Dan are a helluva pair and usually go in deep for their videos together (both reviews and Charting)
Roth ALWAYS makes insightful and eloquent points and she is, in many ways, much more experienced than Dan so what are you talking about? Dan is great alone and with her.
This movie was average at best and very predictable. Extremely slow and drawn out. The actors really need to switch up their roles. If you seen them act in one film don't expect anything new. Probably the last 20min were really worth watching.
Great review! I agree with everything he said! It is a little slow pace, Colin Farrell whose agog day Astor could have done better with that accent🤔I noticed that accent peaking through as well! All the ladies were excellent!
This was about the second worst movie I've seen this year right behind crazy Rich Asians it was so bad I wanted to walk out of the theater not so much the acting really but the plot sucked I expected way more action I was woefully disappointed this is just a slow movie I wouldn't waste my money I hated it
I love Dan's solo reviews.
@Trey Atkins i was slightly disappointed. The punch of the "driver/loyal friend" dying didnt hit me. Them wrecking into one of the bad guys, him looking like he had control of the vehicle immediately after, then losing control and dying was oddly shot. No real confrontation with the "side chick" (less of an issue) Colin ferral seemed like the crooked politician (which he was) but then became a "symathetic figure"/ not to bad of a guy, was odd (more odd when you see him and liam neeson together on the boat) I can understand the story decisions but dont think any of them packed the punch. Think just flawed writing sadly.
Chicago as the backdrop is a major character in this movie. Colin Farrell is very much like a Chicago politician in this movie as well as Robert Duval. Daniel Kaluuya he was very menacing in his performance which made his screen time very unpredictable and edge worthy. Having lived in Chicago for a good part of my life I felt like I was right there with the characters. It’s also worth noting that this could be one of Michelle Rodriguez’s best performances of any film she’s ever appear in.
Literally just got out of the cinema & saw this - perfect timing!
I absolutely loved the film. Although I understand how some of the plot points could be distracting (& very Flynn-esque!), there was nothing that came out of the blue.
Would be very interested in a spoiler review though - if you guys have the time!
Kathryn Finch how did you like it?
Briana Hicks just edited by original post to say! I loved it. I actually found it much more moving than I thought I would. The performances were amazing (although after having seen Bad Times at the El Royale, I was disappointed that there was relatively little Erivo). Have to disagree with Dan that it needed to be cut down in editing; it seemed to me that everything was placed extremely carefully throughout the film. Although, hard agree re: Robert Duvall’s performance. Extremely odd.
This was really hard to talk about without spoiling anything - not sure if we'll have time to do a spoiler review for this one, but I'm glad you enjoyed the film! - Dan
ScreenJunkies News I was impressed with how well you did - I had trouble typing a spoiler-free comment...
Thank you for entertaining me (almost) every day!
Seen Widows last week and it was just fantastic for me it's a straight 4.5/5 and Steve McQueen winning streak continues. For me personally it deserves a bunch of nominations and wins particularly screenplay, best pic, best actress (Viola Davis) and best supporting actor (Daniel Kaluuya) he was literally the best performance in the film every scene that he is in is just exceptional.
Dan, do you use a Teleprompter and pre-written script in the videos where you appear alone to review a movie? I would imagine it is much more difficult to give a monologue than to converse about a film with another host.
Yes, I used a prompter for this one and try to do it when I have to do a solo review. It's way harder to stay on track when you're just rambling to a camera as opposed to having someone to bounce thoughts off of, and I try not to give our awesome editors too much extra work to do! - Dan
ScreenJunkies News Thank you for your reply, Dan. The effort you put into critiquing and reviewing films, as well as your love of movies, shines through in everything you do. Thanks also to everyone behind the camera at SJU, like those awesome editors.
Literally couldnt disagree with this more, I thought this film was utterly magnificent
I love Dan's reviews! I may not always agree with all them, but his knowledge of films is excellent and his point of view, always interesting and thoughtful.
Found Gone Girl to be genuinely captivating so if it's the same writer including Jon Berthall AND Liam Neesons (das my shiiit) then I'm on board! 😊
Its scoring mad high on Rotten tomatoes so I'm gonna slide past this slightly mixed review
C B Taylor It's really good, just watched it!
One thing to remember is this review would count as fresh on Rotten tomatoes, so while the score is high , there could be several reviews like this where they had problems but ultimately recommended it.
I thought it was unnecessarily slow.... some odd moments and camera shots...BUT, some great shots like the face to face moment with the cripple man at the bowling alley when they are on the floor. But it took way too long to get to an ending that was way too short and just left me feeling like Veronica went through way too much for way too little.
This is what Oceans 8 should have been
i would love to see your spoiler review of this film. I don’t actually get out to the cinema much these days so I have to experience it vicariously through SJU!
I'm surprised you're so down on this film, Dan. I would never expect typical Hollywood thrills from Steve McQueen and I am glad Widows doesn't follow the average path to it's heist conclusion.
If you want thrills, watch Den of Thieves, or quirky characters, pop songs and some laughs, you have Ocean's 8.
You want some actual substance and an involving story, I highly recommend Widows
I don’t understand how Viola Davis wasn’t nominated for an academy award.
The best thing about how Dan does reviews is that while I disagree with him, I feel like we could talk and talk and talk nicely for hours and never be tired or angry. God I love him!
DO A SPOILER REVIEW!!!
edit: Also, from what I can tell, Colin Farrell did a really good Chicago accent. From what I've heard of them, he has a less pronounced, but really good accent.
I thought this movie and the main characters' (development and actors' performances) were great! The intensity and build up in the beginning was palpable but as the actual heist approaches, the film dropped off for me, and the wrap up at the end left me indifferent. Also, I agree that some of the side plots (especially having to do with Daniel Kaluuya's character and the Mulligan family drama) dragged out or were unnecessary altogether. Overall I liked the film. I would give it a 7-8/10.
Excellent review. Your message was clear and concise. I guess (like you), that I’m in the minority. I’m somewhere in the middle. I didn’t hate this movie, but it could’ve been a lot better. I actually thought I was gonna give this movie a good review based on the story’s unique premise, as well as all the talented people attached to it. Anyways keep up the good work man.
I 100% agree with you on this one. I was in fact expecting a much more action-packed heist movie based on the trailer, as you said. That’s obviously not what we got, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, but I agree that it could have been cut down and that some plot points were questionable. Thanks for the review Dan!
This was an elegant, chilling portrayal of loss and redemption...top-tier by all accounts.
Just posted my review for this too 😄
My thought when leaving the theater was, "It wasn't bad, but it was not the movie that was advertised." I was expecting the movie to build to a tense, clever heist. The heist itself felt anti-climactic. I thought some of the events during the heist scene opened up a few threads that they just glossed over so they could give the protagonists a somewhat happy ending.
Great review Dan! I haven't seen it yet, but hope to soon, maybe next weekend after I get paid. even before I've seen it, I'll agree Farrell doing an Irish Bostonian accent is an odd choice. Not because they're set in Chicago, but because he's supposed to be Duvall's son, and Duvall only has one accent. That's not something that takes me out of movies though, so it's no big deal.
I also find it funny how many comments are treating it like you're trashing the movie. I thought this was a very nuanced, insightful interview. I can't wait to see where my opinion falls. :)
Solid review style Dan. I thought I was listening to Ebert. Whether people agree or disagree with the review, you've presented a well thought out (spoiler free) review based on more than just your feelings about the movie, well done.
Nobody stood out in this film...except for a few of Davis's scenes, and the tall blonde - she was pretty good in this.
There is one scene I didn't like. The second scene with Duval says two lines that I think was too on the nose in terms of what they were going for. Everything I else I adored. It is intense, thoughtprovoking and at most times geniuenly subtle. Gillian Flynn deserves an oscar for that script. Honestly brilliant writing. At this point I'd give it cinematography and direction too and would be completely behind best picture, even though I am still on First Man as my favorite. What a flick!
Going to see this at the weekend. I hope it lives up to the original tv series this film was based on. It was a fantastic series when it first aired and groundbreaking having mostly all female leads in a crime drama.
Dan never disappoints. I will watch this film because of Steve McQueen but I am going in with some hesitation.
Dan, you are the man. Thanks for being awesome and always working so hard to give us a clear and concise review. However... nope no however. You are just great.
S/o to Dan for the comment on Colin’s accent in the film, bc I’ve been sitting on this for a month following Austin Film Fest and I feel like I was the only one who noticed that his accent wasn’t normal 😂
You're the voice of my critic's mind. I literally was saying all those criticisms after watching the movie to my wife. I can recommend it to people who can get through slow burn movies, but I would not watch this again. I personally find it more disappointing than I wanted it to be :(
So mean
It is a shame that I did not see this review prior to seeing the film, because now having seen it, I believe this is probably one of the most honest critical reflections of the movie that I've listened to or read so far.
I as well had been anticipating this film since its first trailer dropped in the middle of this year, and I wanted it to be every bit as spectacular as other critics have been making it out to be. Sadly, I didn't feel the same way about it. It is a good film (by no stretch of the imagination) but a lot of people are saying that it's a masterpiece, and that Viola Davis and Steve McQueen can do no wrong, and I cannot agree with that. There's no debating their exceptional skills at the craft, but everybody misses the mark from time to time.
The subplots and poorly executed attempts at delving into deeper themes were certainly a major problem with this movie, and it certainly took time away from the main story of the four women planning the heist, which was the far more interesting storyline. And this is what has confused me about other critics, because a lot of other critics are praising the fact that the film really emphasises the women's struggles to prepare themselves for the task at hand, and really gives you the sense that they are out of the depth. It delves into that to a small extent but definitely could've did more with it had they focused on it more, and the film suffers as a result.
A wonky accent has never taken me out of a movie and really shouldn't be something that "ruins" a performance. Silence has a bunch of english speakers talking in a portugese accent (they should just actually be speaking the language) that isn't always consistent.
The performances are still great. I never get WHY an odd accent ruins a character. It may be jarring but being in the movie long enough usually is enough to get past that oddity and to the heart of the performance. JACKIE did a similar thing, but eventually I just took Natalie Portman as having that voice and I latched on to her VULNERABLE character.
Its this year's 3 Billboards. A slightly quirky take on a traditional story. Yes it is a bit slow and deliberate, yet it is also very twisty and turny. Some really daft moments, and some fantastic (the drive from the poor area to the rich)..
I really liked it.
Dan is bang on with this review, the hugely positive reviews I have read up to now have been misleading.
This is a crime story not a Heist story. That said the acting was very good . It has to be given some of the characters actions driven by some pretty ropey plotting.
After your review of “Widows” I won’t be watching another. It was hands down, easily one of the best films of 2018.
I always appreciate Dan's incite...
But I would NEVER want a movie to tweak the story to cater to the "general audience"! Lol
I am in the middle, just like Dan. I neither hated nor liked this film.
I just watched Widows, and have to agree with you on some points. I do think that Viola Davis and the other actresses were the main focus to me. Watching their interactions made me not care about the films tempo, even the scenes between Veronica and Bash were good. I wish the scene with the two men on the boat didn’t happen and Daniel Kaluuya was frightening making me root for the women to beat the odds. There were two scenes that could have just been cut still this was a favorite film of 2018.
kittkat42 the boat scene was to introduce the fact, her husband was in with a politician who they were set too rob, was definitely necessary. Connects with the ending of how he knew where she was because he knew what she would do and he would win/win
@@hearanecho Yeah, I get that but I feel like they could have come up with a better way of doing that or cut back the dialogue, and just show what happened. Than come back and have the tail in of the dialogue where Harry is threatened. Just like the scenes with the political angle, I got more from observing them in close quarters. The scene in the car was a favorite. I can't help that I would prefer the film stayed mostly with the women. I will still watch it because I enjoy it very much.
I generally agree with your review although I found the side plot with Colin Farrell to be some of the most interesting parts of it & I didn't mind his accent. My issues were with the chemistry between Davis & Neeson who I found great on their own but who either seemed too into it or not into it enough when they were together. The beginning heist had some irritating tropes like people standing in the open at close range to shoot at each other & their escape being dependent on a lucky car accident. The ending too had some plot holes that were quickly skipped over which really impacted the believably for me. There were scenes that were entertaining if somewhat redundant like the execution by Kaluuya. Other than that I really enjoyed the action, the cinematography, the performances, the setup for the heist & the heist itself. I liked that the characters were well developed & the political sub plot kept you guessing as to how the whole thing would play out. I thought the scene in the limo was a cinematic masterclass in show don't tell, subtle world building & social commentary but also allowing for an exposition dump without using the dull scene we've seen hundreds of times. I think we can agree that it had the potential to be great & is still very enjoyable but is ultimately flawed.
I really enjoyed it. I believe your review was spot on! I enjoyed the story telling, the character building, and the acting, and yes most movies can improve on something.
Worse part of the movie was Colin Farrell's accent. Hurt my ears. lol.
I just got out of seeing the movie, I went in knowing the what the run time is and honestly I never felt like it was too slow or boring.
Overall I liked the movie and would recommend it.
I think it was a great movie but it was definitely missing something. Colin Farrell wasn’t necessary in this roll, I wish they got someone else. And the father and son interaction could’ve been better. Two things that were missing. WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THE MONEY AFTER. Did they all spilt it ? Did they pay the guy they owed? Or both. Another problem was the relationship with viola davis husband and his mistress. They needed to give us more backstory on that.
Ow... ok then... I gotta check it out so I'll se what it does to me :'P
No dan pun 😑
I saw this last week and honestly was very dissapointed. It was boring, had pointless subplots and was nothing like what the trailers promoted. The entire heist took literally about 5 minutes from start to end and the rest of the build up was unbelievably slow.. I was swayed by the good reviews and numbers but was let down. Overall average to poor movie, would not reccomend if you want to be entertained.
3332matt I couldn’t agree more! Characters were underdeveloped and I believe that had a lot to do with the way this movie is written; Lots of unnecessary scenes followed by some bland dialogue. I felt the movie tried to cover too many things, and the true meaning of the film got lost within the excessive plot. I walked out the theatre thoroughly disappointed; especially after all the hype this film received. I wish I would have seen your comment before watching 😂
Mia Calovic I totally agree, I think it was over ambitious with all the themes and subplots which it approached.
This movie was not meant for entertainment it was there to tell a story and make a point and so do criticize it for not being entertaining enough it's extremely laughable and personally I find it disrespectful to the filmmaker because it is not their job to personally Entertain You it is their job to make the piece of art that they want to make.
@@KotorFan-zb1bo I disagree, movies are made to make money off people going to see them or buying them. People spend money on movies because they are entertained on some level, even in sad or scary films. Therefore, ultimately the director's job is to entertain as many people as possible. Wether or not the director wanted to "make the piece of art" they envisinoed is irrelevant, it's a terrible movie compared to what it was set up to be by trailers and good reviews. Of course I'm going to criticize it, it'a boring, slow, lacks focus and not interesting at all. Personally find it disrespectful? Get off the internet if you can't handle other people's opinions. Boohoo my opinion doesn't match yours... go read some comments that praise the movie then.
@@3332matt movies ar3 what the artist wants them to be they are not made specifically to conform to your narrow views. An artist's job is to make the piece of art that they want to make art is not made to entertain it is made to tell a story and contribute something to society.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Dan is spot on with this review. It really needed to be cut down by about twenty minutes. It’s a fucking mess.
I would say the only that should've been cut was the story about Viola's son, while timely, it did feel shoe-horned in there. Otherwise, this is a brilliant film looking at city politics, it's ties to the criminal underworld and how that hurts more than helps it's residents.
sorry.. but i believe he is a fan of Ocean`s8 (this review it`s crap)
Better than Oceans and literally all of the all-female remakes thus far at least. Aside from Colin Farrell's accent and Duvall, it's a really well done movie. Could have used another 15-30 minutes in the ending, but nothing's perfect.
This film was enjoyable entertainment, but not much more than that. Too many characters, too much plot. It didn't feel at all like it was directed and edited by the two people who directed and edited three of the greatest films ever made: Hunger, Shame, and 12 Years a Slave. And maybe they should have cast Fassbender in one of the leading men's roles? He's already proven in other McQueen films that he can do an American accent better then Farrell!
Viola Davis was fucking incredible, per usual. The way she carried that dog around for the whole film and was constantly dressed better than everyone around her made me think she'd make a good Bond villain one day...
I wanted to like this movie but I feel like it’s convoluted secondary plots hurt it and it’s not a heist movie until 1 hour and 15 min
I can understand why some people like it, but I found it utter boring, and the payoff compared to the builup was weak, characters were introduced who pretty much had no impact on the plot, plotholes which made no sense, the story has huge logic hurdles it just glances over, and ultimately I thought that Viola Davis acted badly. Having almost forgotten about Suicide squad I and her performance there I wished she atleast had some script to work with. But no. It felt forced and I couldn't make up how she felt.
Why didn't she just open the damn door when the dog was barking and she sees the liquor bottle of her dead husband..any normal person in the real world would open the door - this is when I murmured out loud that this movie is ridiculous
My thoughts exactly. Good but less than the sum of its parts.
This movie was slow as shit. I was going into the movie expecting a slow burn but didn't realize how boring the characters would be. The only interesting one was Viola Davis' Veronica. There are so many useless, boring scenes. I hated it!
Don't get the general love for this movie. I really don't find it that remarcable at all.
Exactly. It's easily McQueen's weakest movie. Great acting doesn't save the story
Excellent film, could have lost 15mins though.
Saw the TV series, I expect nothing less from the movie
TV series? I had no idea.
@@ieatgremlins BBC back in 1983 very worthy as I recall. Scared to revisit ... never go back haha
Why is Dan's review voice so different than his normal voice? or is it just me?
Just you
STOP YELLING AT ME DAN!! =(
3:00 This had me laughing so hard! 😂 Colin Farrell did that? Oh goodness XD
Love your reviews, maybe I'll give it a try on VOD. I always enjoy your, and Roth's!, takes on films, and love SJU videos, you all rock!
I love the movie.but it didn't make any sense why the main character husband betrayed her. leaving me with so much confusion..and both parties son died in such away that I cannot comprehend.He was with other women cuz of there son death..??????
I think you guys should give a rating like 1 to 10 or 1 to 5 in your reviews, cause it feels like at the end like there are 3 category of movies - not recommended, good but with flaws, and recommended. even with the reasons and thoughts behind it, it might make it more clear where you put it on a scale.
its weird Dan is not a rating guy, it'd go well with charting.. the whole numerical approach I mean. but I guess he only likes numbers when they represent something objective.
In Rotten Tomatoes, if u view all critic reviews for this movie, you'll find his numerical value for Widows. I won't tell u here so u can see 4 urself...
I actually prefer this. There's such totality in a general score. The reasons he would rate it less might not significantly effect your enjoyment of a film. There's nuance lost in an overall score.
@@jonasdiaz8615 For those who want to know its 6.8/10
I like to put it in numbers, cause based on the review it can be anything between above 5 and around 7 from what I could tell.. when it comes to not recommended movies, its even more vague, like how much of a stinker it is.
But its interesting to see his ratings for the movies he reviews. At the very least I can try to guess it based on the review and then see how close I got, its fun.
Id like to know his score of Gotti and the Jaws..
Finally just a Dan review without commentary from everyone else making unfunny jokes and going off topic
I know Spencer and Joe are goofballs, but I think Roth is just as insightful in their joint reviews. They might make a pun or two, but Roth and Dan are a helluva pair and usually go in deep for their videos together (both reviews and Charting)
Roth ALWAYS makes insightful and eloquent points and she is, in many ways, much more experienced than Dan so what are you talking about? Dan is great alone and with her.
Boring slow boring boring slow slow boring yeah that about sums this movie Up try not to fall asleep in the theater but you probably will
Colin Farrell?
This movie was average at best and very predictable. Extremely slow and drawn out. The actors really need to switch up their roles. If you seen them act in one film don't expect anything new. Probably the last 20min were really worth watching.
Great review! I agree with everything he said! It is a little slow pace, Colin Farrell whose agog day Astor could have done better with that accent🤔I noticed that accent peaking through as well! All the ladies were excellent!
This was about the second worst movie I've seen this year right behind crazy Rich Asians it was so bad I wanted to walk out of the theater not so much the acting really but the plot sucked I expected way more action I was woefully disappointed this is just a slow movie I wouldn't waste my money I hated it
Nitpicky review.
However
I think Dan Murrell is trying to be open-minded and kind this movie sucked
i agree...the acting of Colin and Duvall were terrible!
Nize that
Cek mine bro
Wdows was trash there was too much talking less action they couldve done better