While it certainly is not going to go down as one of the all time greats, or even as one of the all time goods, Focus has some enjoyable moments. It plays as a romantic comedy within a con film. The cons pulled are a lot of fun to watch, and the comedy shines through, but the most basic building block of this film, the romance, falls flat.
Focus’s plot surrounds a con man named Nicky, played by Will Smith, who helps teach a woman, Jess, played by Margot Robbie, the art of the con. As the movie progress, he slowly allows her to be a part of his next couple scams before the two inevitably, if not very quickly, fall in love. This leads to possible trouble down the road because, as Nicky himself recalls, “there is no room for a heart in this business.” Unfortunately, this reality which plagues the criminal world and dooms their relationship also plagues the film, lacking in heart.
The love part of this story is unconvincing. The first 35 minutes of the movie are meant to set up this romance, but end up being tough to watch. The film moves too quickly through a series of short, choppy scenes without allowing the characters to properly engage with one another or express any real emotions. I was unconvinced that these two people could love each other—they moved very quickly from first meeting to love without full, heartfelt scenes to build upon.
This unbelievable romance combined with a lack of chemistry between Smith and Robbie prove to be a true recipe for disaster. While Will Smith is usually a charismatic presence on-screen, his usual captivating self is lacking in Focus. As the cold and distant Nicky, Smith seems to be missing that twinkle in his eye that often makes him so fun to watch. Without it, he comes off as dull. Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Jess is similarly confusing. Her performance is generally inconsistent and contains a few somewhat off putting acting choices. For example, when Nicky tells her to go home after their first big con together, she cries incessantly for a man she’s known for a mere month.
Of course, these performance issues are at least partially a product of bad screenwriting. The script is chock full of issues. It generally moves on the surface of the characters, failing to delve into who they are or how they feel. It tends to mistake withholding ends of sentences for character development, especially in the beginning. Once it gets settled, though, it starts to have fun, showing some semblance of a heartbeat within its characters. The scenes become bearable, if not enjoyable.
Focus is a “popcorn movie”—the type of film to bring a date to, buy some popcorn, and watch without being too invested. If you happen to be preoccupied with your date, and miss parts of the movie, who can blame you? You’re not missing all that much. Nothing too exciting to focus on here, anyways.
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