The film features a closeted gay politician whose affair with a male aide is revealed and used for political leverage. While this plot point highlights vulnerability, the film neither affirms nor denigrates his queer identity, presenting it as a factual element with narrative consequences rather than a statement on LGBTQ+ lives.

The 2018 film "Widows" adapts the 1983 British TV series. Several main characters, including Veronica Rawlins, Linda Perelli, and Alice Coletta, were portrayed by actors of different races compared to their original depictions in the source material.

The film portrays the powerful Mulligan political family, who are prominent adherents of Christianity, as deeply corrupt and hypocritical. Their association with the church and Christian identity is leveraged for political gain, while their actions are violent and self-serving. The narrative uses religious institutions as a backdrop to highlight the family's moral failings and abuse of power.