WIDOWS
Anything is fair game in this era of ubiquitous remakes and reboots, but even so, no one would have expected Lynda La Plante’s big- haired 1980s ITV crime drama to get the high- end Hollywood treatment — with Viola Davis, no less, stepping into Ann Mitchell’s no- nonsense shoes. It turns out to be a more natural fit than you might expect, retaining the compellingly pulpy pleasures of the original while director Steve McQueen ( 12 Years a Slave) and writer Gillian Flynn ( Gone Girl) sleekly update and diversify it for the current era of feminist resistance. McQueen may be known for more stately art- house fare, but turns out to be a bang- up director of action as well. Davis spearheads a dream cast with her customary ferocity. The likes of Liam Neeson and Colin Farrell round it out, but this is the women’s hour. 6 November