If director Steve McQueen’s film is not nominated for Best Picture, it won’t be because it’s an action film, a genre the Academy tends to ignore much like sci-fi. No, “Widows” is not an “action” movie; It’s an arty-cool, distancing film that is more about build-up than tany actual heist. McQueen’s film has none of the high-tension, octane-driven action that the trailer hinted at, it plays more like a snail-paced, character-driven drama than anything else. There are socio-political overtones throughout the film as well, something the Academy seems to be hungry for ever since #OscarsSoWhite ridiculed them back in 2014. So, in essence, it should be the perfect contender. However, I don’t necesarilly see the film connecting with a large voting body like the Academy, for example. Despite critical approval, audiences will likely be turned off by the cool, steely detachment of the film, which might be too distancing and unabsorbing for many. McQueen takes major risks here and I am shocked that a major studio decided to bank on such a unique endeavor. He juggles more than a dozen characters in his film, and, contrary to what might be suggested by the marketing campaign, there is so much more going on in this mosaic of a film than just women pulling off a heist. Contribute Hire me
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