An experienced con artist and skilled manipulator, Nicky, becomes the victim of a not-so-successful scam orchestrated by the beautiful Jess. In response to the seasoned thief’s mockery, the girl sets her sights on joining Nicky’s team. She succeeds very quickly, moreover, Jess demonstrates remarkable talent and skills. However, Nicky, fearing that personal attachment, especially deep feelings, could hinder the business, decides to part ways with his new passion. Three years later, the former lovers meet again while working on a serious fraudulent scheme, but now they are on opposite sides of the barricades…
Focus: A Review of the Film
Apollo Robbins, known as the “gentleman thief,” a renowned expert in exposing deceptive schemes and manipulations, served as a consultant to the film crew on the intricacies of thievery.
Audiences love movies about criminals. Even more, potential victims of robbery and fraud enjoy stories about talented, daring con artists. And if a true national star is among the main characters, the public may forget about morality and the law altogether and fully side with the criminal elements. The characters in “Focus” don’t even try to appear law-abiding; they don’t support their illegal actions with any justifying explanations or complex moral choices. No, these people are simply thieves. But we are ready to empathize with them and even internally justify them. So, what’s the “Focus”?
Specifically for the film, the authors invented a fictional football championship, created fake teams, and adorned the final match with advertisements for non-existent products.
As in any manipulation of attention, whether it’s a playful prank or a criminal intent, the main thing in the focus is the performer. If a fraudster or illusionist manages to capture your attention, you’re done for – they’ll pull a dove out of their sleeve so that you gasp, or, conversely, steal your wallet with such grace that you can only applaud. “Focus” takes two performers at once, and it so happens that both of them, due to various circumstances, cannot play the first fiddle: Will Smith, who, although remaining an “A” list star, hasn’t shown anything worthwhile for about seven years, and Margot Robbie – a rising star, only gaining a reputation, albeit doing it with powerful, bold, broad steps. And this pair only works together; they are both necessary for the plot, and the audience is noticeably more interested in those episodes where the spark between Smith and Robbie is visible.
The tandem of directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, whose previous works include the script for “Bad Santa” and the direction of “I Love You, Phillip Morris,” are tasked with striking this spark. And by and large, Requa and Ficarra succeed – “Focus” starts so briskly that for the first few minutes, viewers have no choice but to absorb all the humor, drive, and adrenaline of what is happening with their mouths open. And I would very much like to praise the script until the very end (and the script was handled by the same Ficarra and Requa), if not for the break in the plot in the middle of the picture. “Focus” is as if broken in half over the knee, it consists of two stories, the action of which takes place with a difference of several years, and each of the parts has a different pace, mood, setting, and even characters. This is somewhat confusing, and most importantly, it is completely incomprehensible why this is done; such a break is justified very strainedly in terms of plot, and it does not add any additional dynamics to the actors’ play. After all, Smith and Robbie are not the people who are particularly brilliant at playing a firework of feelings inflated from extinguished embers, especially since the viewer is waiting for something completely different.
Heists and Glamour
The viewer is waiting for fantastic heists in terms of audacity, and in this regard, “Focus” boldly strides along the path trodden by the trilogy about Danny Ocean’s friends and the recent “Now You See Me.” Dynamic editing, a cheerful soundtrack, fashionable, elegant criminals, at the sight of which the “sucker” himself is glad to be deceived – all this succeeds in the film to glory, especially in the first part. The second is significantly weighted down by a not-so-credible storyline with an imaginary engineer, but it is decorated by Rodrigo Santoro in the role of an ambitious millionaire with insidious plans. The alternating racetrack and huge stadium, reception palace and “thieves’ den,” hotels and restaurants give the film a flair of a pleasant journey through “hot” places, the viewer seems to become part of the team of charming villains. Agree, this feeling is usually worth a lot.
Final Thoughts
In general, “Focus,” with the exception of a not-too-thoughtful plot failure in the very middle, has nothing to scold – excellent actors, bright humor balancing on the very edge, fantastic scenery, original tricks, and brisk editing practically do not let you get bored. Will Smith seems to have returned to the days of “Bad Boys” and shoots back with witticisms on the verge, Margot Robbie plays pure sex, with her whole appearance confirming the correctness of her choice for the role of Harley Quinn – it is almost impossible to tear yourself away from watching. The main thing is, don’t lose vigilance and don’t leave things unattended in the dark of the cinema, fraudsters and thieves, as it turns out, can be waiting for you in the most unexpected place.o