3/5 Focus I am almost tempted to write a rave review for Focus simply because it’s not After Earth. I do not think I have heard a single person say how they enjoyed that film - and that includes Will Smith. I am glad to report back to everyone that this is a return to form for Smith. While we never really get to see the dramatic skills seen so long ago in The Pursuit of Happyness, this is Smith at his most charismatically smooth. Can you think of a more charismatic actor than Will Smith? I can’t. Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love.) seem to be fully aware of this, though their secret weapon here is a not-so-surprising electric performance from newcomer Morgot Robbie. We have seen movies like Focus before, most recently in the Oceans trilogy. There are times when Focus feels as slick, if not slicker, than those films, but it fails to touch the artistic heights of classics like The Sting. Smith plays Nicky, a con artist with daddy issues and a killer bluff. Nicky meets Jess (Robbie) and they immediately recognize one another as both compatible business and romantic - of course - partners. | Directors: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa Starring: Will Smith & Margot Robbie Writers: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa |
Said half takes place in Buenos Aires in the midst of a Formula One Race. Nicky is now arranging a con that involves Rodrigo Santoro and some kind of flash drive. Honestly, I never really understood the actual heist, which is a shame because it’s the “big” one. As I said earlier, what carried me through was the chemistry between the two leads and the several times they fool each other. The lack of surprise in the third act is highly damaging for this kind of movie. One particularly revealing twist near the end involving Gerald McRaney (House of Cards) fails to impact as hard as it should.
Luckily, the stars, and the directors for that matter, all sizzle with an efficiency that makes this all look so easy. Ficarra and Requa, while their film is not as surprising as it could be, know how to construct an entertaining movie. At a perfectly-paced 104 minutes, Focus never feels too long or too short. This air of excitement is due in no small part to the actors. It is so refreshing to see Smith back at what he does best - anything that isn’t After Earth. It is always a challenge for other actors to keep up with his level of charm, but he may have found his match in Robbie. In The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie just about stole the show from the likes of DiCaprio and Jonah Hill - not an easy job. Focus finds her continuing that winning streak in a smooth-as-silk performance that keeps the Fresh Prince on his toes. If Focus has any false moves, the magnetism between these two bonafide movie stars - one established, the other on a fast climb - is most certainly not one of them.