Heist movies are usually driven by male actors. Most of the time, it is only male actors taking part. But what happens when the main characters are all female? It is a formula that is often tried but with a sense that females are simply replacing men instead of being written as actual women. That being said,Wingwomenmay be the antidote.
For peoplescrolling through Netflix,Wingwomenmay have been a film that slipped past. However, this film should be at the top of your queue. If the algorithm shows you the classics, it may be time to get in with this new film that takes the heist genre by storm.
What Is Wingwomen?
Wingwomenis thestory of two thieveswho are sick of working for someone else and ready to start their own lives. Carole and Alex have been working together for years and are not only a great team but the best of friends. They work for Marraine, a woman of power who has Carole and Alex under her thumb.
While the two women want to be free, they also realize that there is one last job that could give them the freedom they want while being more dangerous than anything they’ve done before. But their lives take unexpected turns when they take in Sam, a freewheeling getaway driver. The women are forced into some difficult situations, must grapple with their own fears and insecurities, and fight like hell to gain their freedom.
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While many male-led heist films will focus solely on the job itself, this film decides to express the relationship between Carole and Alex. It is not a relationship between two little girls either. It is two women with blood on their records who are focused while also being completely reliant on the other. These women are not playing around, but the time devoted to their interplay is crucial in settingWingwomenapart from others in this genre.
Wingwomenis based on the French graphic novelThe Grand Odalisque,created by Jérôme Mulot, Florent Ruppert, and Bastien Vivès. The script was adapted by Laurent, Christophe Deslandes, and Cédric Anger.
Wingwomen Boasts a Talented Cast
Mélanie Laurent, who plays Carole, may be the best-known actress to US audiences in this film. She has been making movies for decades and is best known for the role of Shosanna Dreyfus in Quentin Tarantino’sInglorious Basterds. Not only has she acted in both English and French-language films, but she is also the director ofWingwomen.
Adèle Exarchopoulos plays Carole’s best friend and partner Alex. Exarchopoulos has starred in many French films but is primarily known for her role inBlue is the Warmest Color(La Vie d’Adèle). The film is often cited for the fact that both Exarchopoulos and her costar, Léa Seydoux, identify as straight when their characters are both in the LGBTQ+ community.
Manon Bresch plays Sam, the driver Carole and Alex recruit for their final heist. Bresch began acting professionally in 2017 but is primarily known for her television work.Wingwomenis one of the first major film outings for the twenty-five-year-old actress.
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Rounding out the cast is Isabella Adjani. She plays Marraine, also known to the young women as “Godmother.” Adjani has the most impressive resume of the four women, having been in the industry since the early 1970s. Although appearing in many French films, US audiences may recognize her from films such asThe Driver(1978),Ishtar(1987), andDiabolique(1996). She isFrench film royalty, and her role as Marraine gives the film a level of gravity that cuts any levity in half.
These women are all beyond capable of handling a film, and Laurent knows it. She gives everyone, including herself, scenes that they can waltz through with the effortlessness of a dancer. With such a wide range of acting skills and the ability to hold their own, there is no weakness as each member deftly holds up to the performances of their counterparts.
How Wingwomen Compares to Similar Films
The heist film genre has always been a huge success, as hasthe buddy comedy.Wingwomenchooses to splice these genres while not going overboard on the hilarity. The humor exists within real relationships and has that “with my friends” banter that many films attempt to force.
The first thing people will point to istheCharlie’s Angelsmovies. Three women work for a single entity that sends them to jobs that require specific skills. However,Wingwomendoesn’t have wink-at-the-camera jokes or zany characters. It is a movie that depicts murder, where these women are fighting for their lives to get out from under their supervisor rather than impress them.
It can be favorably compared to films such asBaby Driver(2017) with hints of theKill Billwomen-on-a-mission scenario. However, it is not a straight revenge film. Instead, it is about getting out from under by using a longstanding skillset. In this way, it may be compared to the 2001 filmHeist, featuring Gene Hackman.
The fact is thatWingwomenfollows a long line of movies in a male-dominated genre, and it doesn’t attempt to copy. Laurent transforms a fascinating graphic novel into a compelling and strangely heartfelt story. But bear in mind that this is not a love story, nor is itOcean’s 11. This film is out for blood, and these women will do whatever they need to win the day.
