Focus

In theatres now

I wanted to like Focus a lot more than I actually did. I had no expectations going in, but I was rooting for it from the opening scene. It’s far from great, but I can’t help admiring it for what it’s trying to do. Most of what the studios shell out this time of year is overproduced garbage. Focus is a smart movie with a point of view. Its ambitions are more artistic than commercial. Sadly, it never quite sticks the landing.

The film stars Will Smith (Men in Black) and Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) as a veteran grifter and amateur pickpocket, respectively, who initiate a mentor-protégé relationship and an on-again, off-again romance. It’s in the tradition of classic con man movies, and co-writers and directors Glenn Ficara and John Requa (I Love You Phillip Morris, Crazy Stupid Love) know the genre well. 

Smith is characteristically charming, and it’s mostly just nice to see him back onscreen (despite being one of the world’s biggest movie stars, this is only his third starring role in five years). B.D. Wong (Jurassic Park) gives a great supporting performance as a dangerous gambler. He plays the part with a villainous glee that reminded me of Christoph Waltz at his best.

But Focus doesn’t quite have the courage of its convictions. It feels like it has one too many coats of glossy finish on it. The criminal protagonists, who try to be both appealing and despicable, are mostly just lovable. Robbie’s love-hate touch from Wolf of Wall Street is missing the hate, and Smith could use some Jordan Belfort sleaze. The soundtrack is always a little too crime-movie cool, the screwball comedy dialogue a little too clever. The characters laugh a little too hard at their own jokes, and there’s one (or four, or five) too many last-act twists. In the end, what could’ve been a surprise home run is more or less a fun date movie.

Published in Volume 69, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 11, 2015)

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