Review of Focus (2015) by Ahnehnois — 27 Feb 2015

It's a pretty weak movie. The opening is decent, but the film's main caper is dumb. It's not so much full of dramatic ambiguity as it is muddled and unclear. There isn't really any dramatic turn for the characters, and the tumults of their relationship make no sense. The ending is lame and anticlimactic. And frankly, it just seems like the once great Will Smith has been phoning it in for a while now.

The positives are elsewhere. The film's first third, set in New Orleans, is more energetic and flows better, and promises what should have been a more interesting set of capers. Some of the supporting actors bring stronger work, including a hilarious turn by B.D. Wong (i.e. the psychiatrist from Law & Order) as a high-rolling businessman. And as to the reason that many people will watch, to see if this previously unknown Margot Robbie can hold the screen with Will Smith and is ready for some of the bigger roles awaiting her, the answer to that is yes.