Focus (2015)

Focus © Warner Bros.. All Rights Reserved.

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Director:	Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Writers:	Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Cast:	Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney
Released:	Friday, February 27, 2015
Length:	104 minutes
Studio:	Warner Bros.
Genre:	Drama/Suspense
Rating:	Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

Synopsis

Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop…and the consummate con man off his game.

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Focus Blu-ray Review

I get why they named the movie Focus. As Will Smith's (Men in Black, Ali) character, Nicky, explains the trick to being a good con artist is to shift the victim's focus away from what you are really trying to do. Unfortunately, I felt neither the need nor inclination to actually focus on watching this movie. Coming to Blu-ray and DVD in the beginning of June, this is one movie you can skip.

I'm not even sure what to say about the plot of this movie other than Will Smith plays a con artist as part of a ring that heads to the Super bowl in New Orleans to pick pocket just about everyone. Over the course of a week the team nets about a million dollars to be distributed among the group, including newcomer, Jess (Margot Robbie; The Wolf of Wall Street).

When Nicky and Jess become romantically involved he feels the need to cut all ties to her leaving her sad and confused. When their paths cross a few years later, both playing the same guy in different cons, there is a lot of history brought to the surface again.

Will Smith plays Nicky cool and collected at all times, something Smith does very well. Robbie plays Jess sexy, demure and slightly "blonde" (if that can be used as an adjective). Supporting these two is a cast of characters including real life con artist, Apollo Robbins, and Gerald McRaney (House of Cards) as Nicky's unofficial adoptive father.

What doesn't work in the film is almost everything. It was boring, unengaging, and trite. The best parts of the film are watching the pick pockets work the crowd and the slight of had they use almost as deftly as a magician. Otherwise, the film isn't worth spending time watching. I was actually playing a game on my phone part of the time as the movie ran and enjoyed it more. And the chemistry between Smith and Robbie is nonexistent. Their love scenes were actually painful to sit through and probably the most unsexy thing I've seen in a while.

The extras aren't any more entertaining than the film was with the exception of the feature on how to artfully pull off a pick pocket demonstrated by Robbins. The deleted scenes add nothing new, which is probably why they were deleted in the first place and the features on Smith and Robbie are completely unnecessary.

Don't waste your time or your money on Focus. You will just feel like you got ripped off albeit not as skillfully as a pickpocket would do it. Grade D

-- Allison Hazlett-Rose

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