Focus Review

Will Smith and Margot Robbie Con Audiences Out of Focus

Focus, directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Sequa, was as entertaining as it was fun. My faith in Will Smith has been restored and need I remind people, I called the rise of Margot Robbie in my review of Wolf of Wall Street .

Their on-screen chemistry is awesome, which also makes it easy to enjoy the film. Will Smith plays Nicky, a slick talking conman with a slight gambling problem. He’s been in the game for years and has a crew, about 30 deep, that are involved in every step of his operation. One night he meets a woman at a hotel named Jess (Margot Robbie) who actually tries to con him out of his wallet but fails miserably. After she joins his team he feels like she’s getting too close and he quickly separates himself from her (literally, leaves her a bag of money, steps out a car, and sends her to an airport). The real fun begins 3 years later when they unexpectedly run into each other in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This film has it all: Comedy, drama, love, adventure, and plenty of suspense. I thoroughly enjoy films that make you pay attention because so much is going on. His team worked together like a well-greased machine. Everyone had their individual roles, nobody had a reason to be greedy, and their operation ran like clockwork in each city they hit.

Another face you may notice is that of Adrian Martinez in his role as Farhad, Nicky’s righthand man. He’s quickly showing up everywhere and has garnered the nickname “the sidekick to the stars.” His on-screen presence is felt immediately, as he plays a pivotal role on the team and provides countless moments of pure comedic genius.

The movie Focus gets a 9 out of 10. With a runtime of 1hr 44mins, its long enough to keep you guessing and entertained without running too long. The ending is unexpected and the last 2 cons are by far the best. It’s rated R for violence, language, and some sexual content, but by today’s standards they did a good job of keeping the “sexy” under control.

-Jon J.