(Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)Will Smith’s latest film, “Focus,” which opened on Feb. 27, is a suspense-filled romantic drama.
Experienced con artist Nicky (Smith) makes his living by stealing and swindling people out of their money and other possessions. He works alongside other con artists who run an underground operation of sorts. Along the way, he meets a woman named Jess (Margot Robbie) who wants to get in on the game, so Nicky takes her under his wing and teaches her everything he knows.
Jess learns how to distract people and take things from their pockets, and even bodies, without them ever feeling it. The film takes the word pickpocket to a whole new level. As Jess continues her training, the stakes get even higher. She and Nicky find themselves gambling with multi-millionaires and going home with cash.
Unlike other films of this genre and even other Smith movies, “Focus” didn’t contain any unnecessary action scenes or extensive violence. Filmmakers were particularly smart in that they only used gore when they had to, making those scenes stand out and pose more meaning.
The schemes and missions that Nicky takes on in the movie are intelligent, complicated and well thought out. Just as soon as viewers think they have it figured out, the storyline will throw them for a loop.
Smith is incredibly skilled in portraying both a comedic and serious character and Robbie’s acting makes her character both powerful and believable. From laughing to crying to falling in love, Robbie was utterly believable. Her superb emotional portrayal of Jess' character left the viewer so invested in her and Nicky's romance that the film's climax was all the more nail-biting.
From the costumes to the scenery, the film is very well put together and doesn’t include any scenarios that are too unrealistic.
“Focus” also features quite a bit of romance between Nicky and Jess. Both of these characters have dynamic personalities, and their balance of wit and slyness will keep the audience entertained throughout the movie.
However, when Nicky thinks they’re becoming too close he cuts her out of the game and splits. Just when you think it’s over, their cunning game of cat and mouse continues. With the combination of Smith and Robbie's phenomenal acting, the moment proved to be all the more intense and left the viewer on the edge of their seat.
While the film can get a bit confusing, everything begins to make sense in the end and filmmakers throw in elements that viewers would never anticipate. You can never tell when Smith's stoic character is telling the truth.
Audiences will be on the edge of their seats from beginning to end with this emotional drama. “Focus” contains the perfect combination of humor, love, action and adventure to entertain all different types of movie-goers.
Reach the reporter at bridget.dowd@asu.edu or follow @bridgetbernice on Twitter.
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