![]() The plot involves a teacher/student relationship between Nicky and resourceful bombshell Jess (a delightful Margot Robbie, “ The Wolf of Wall Street”), which allows us to be privy to plenty of lectures on the ins and outs of the complicated con game. People are getting ripped off and we’re never convinced that the pickpocketers are more than total jerks for doing so, but it’s tough to be bothered one way or another when the movie is so busy shedding all dramatic weight.įocus isn’t about ripping people off anyways, but rather how awesome one must look and act to be able to rip someone off. Requa and Ficarra keep the whole movie in such nimble territory that the morality of the situation never feels particularly important. The various moves are casually convincing, as they should be considering one of the top credits at the end of the pic goes to a pickpocket adviser. ![]() Expertly executed pickpocket tricks are the highlight of one sequence where the team works together to pilfer wallets and watches from revellers on a busy New Orleans street. Here he plays Nicky, a con artist who manages a ring of small-time criminals who can rack up a million dollars in a few days of preying on unsuspecting tourists. But now he’s back with a performance that may not be deep, but is certainly powered by an engine of charisma that is uniquely his own. After some flops and a limp bid at nostalgia with a late and unnecessary “ Men in Black 3,” Smith has spent the last few years with his career as close to the dumps as the star has come since first striking gold in his early 90s TV days. Slick shots and crisp edits are on full display here as Smith looks to remind us why he was once the biggest movie star on the planet. They command the camera with cool confidence, as if they’re calmly drifting in the wake of Will Smith’s oozing charm. But it’s a brand of tasty fluff that writers/directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra prove very good at handling. ![]() Even when viewed at surface level, there’s nothing more to the movie than that. When distilled down to its basest elements, con drama Focus is a light and airy attempt to hearken back to the days of movie star vehicles that require nothing more than mega movie star wattage and a smooth smile to keep their exploits afloat. ![]()
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