After recently finding my TikTok FYP forcefully stuffed with a number of pirated snippets of this film, I knew it’d be something I needed to give a crack, even though online reviews suggested otherwise… and I’m glad I did.
“Focus”, Will Smith’s first ever R18+ film, follows the story of a con-artist, and his complicated relationship with one of his older associates. You wouldn’t be blamed for assuming this film was a lighthearted Romantic Comedy, seeing as that’s what it’s marketed as however, once you actually watch the film, it’s something very different.
Yes, it’s humourous. It’s got plenty of well written comedic scenes that establish and coordinate the tone of the film. And yes, the romantic aspect of the film is phenomenal. Will and Margot have this obvious chemistry that, rather than coming across as cliche, does a fantastic job at adding some weight to the context of the film.
However, “Focus” isn’t even close to being a “Blended” or “Love, Actually”. In my opinion, the film is closer to “Oceans 11”, or “21”.
Once you take a step back, and look at the film for what it is, a casual Crime-Drama, it’s a good watch. It’s quite fluid – often jumping between a number of different settings and moments, however does so in such a way that each segment feels like it adds weight to the ever-evolving relationship between Margot and Will. The plot, although admittedly generic, does well at entertaining the influence of Margot Robbies character on Smith’s life, while simultaneously follows an engaging and logical series of event’s – with a couple of nice Ocean 11-esque callbacks to show off what’s been happening under Will Smith’s aviators.
This is however, where “Focus” runs into some of it’s issues. Much like the Oceans series, Logan Lucky or even the Davinci Code, towards the end of it’s runtime, it pulls back the metaphorical curtain to show off how Smith’s team was able to pull off their grand plan.
Unfortunately, “Focus” fails to accomplish this in a convincing manner. These callbacks feel rushed, as if the director had added them in an cop-out afterthought, rather than planning it into the writing from the beginning. A number of the sleight-of-hand, action scenes feel this way too – with the film relying on “movie magic” and clever editing rather than genuine talent. It’s a shame, because if these scenes were better thought out, the movie would’ve felt significantly more authentic.
Similarly to a Disney movie, if you’re happy to accept these inconsistencies as they are, it’s all perfectly watchable (and, to a stretch, believable). This might seem a bit nitpicky, although I think it’s one of the main reasons the film is recieved with such distate (alongside it’s atrocious marketing as a RomCom). It’s unrealistic – to an extent, which hinders on the overall progression of the film’s plot.
Although, on the other foot, I don’t think this should be a reason to write it off. The perfect choice in cast, good dose of humor and well written script shouldn’t go unnoticed. In my opinion, “Focus” is a good film, although I implore you to give it a watch, and decide for yourself.
