In some sense, if you've seen one movie about con artists or "grifters," you've seen them all. Veterans of the genre know that the hero (or antihero) will be in some seemingly inescapable jams throughout the story, but in actuality, those jams are exactly where the hero wants to be. It's only a matter of time before we find out that it was all a part of their plan.
Focus (2015) starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, is no different -- but that doesn't make it any less entertaining.
Smith plays Nicky Spurgeon, a smooth, calculating and uber-experienced con man. Nicky can pick pockets and strip wristwatches with his eyes closed, but his most lucrative talent lies in the orchestration of big cons. Nicky is the popular leader of a large network of like-minded and similarly-skilled grifters who look to him for organization, guidance and scouting of potentially big scores.
Jess (Robbie) is not nearly as experienced. She has all of the tools -- skilled, stunningly attractive and morally flexible -- but she's a small timer. When an attempted scam of Nicky goes terribly wrong, she realizes that he is the man she needs to learn from. If she's going to reach the big leagues as a scammer, Nicky represents her pathway to the promised land.
And off we go. Of course elaborate schemes ensue and sexual attraction develops between Nicky and Jess, but is it genuine? Is Nicky using his experience and misdirection to turn Jess into a very useful pawn, or is Jess more seasoned than we are led to believe? In their blossoming romance, who is the con and who is the mark?
Not surprisingly, this is revealed at the end, but along the way we meet some entertaining supporting actors: Adrian Martinez as Farhad, Nicky's overweight and hilarious best friend and right-hand man and BD Wong as Liyuan, a fabulously wealthy high roller who tests the limits of Nicky's ego and resolve during a prop betting sequence at the Super Bowl. Both Martinez and Wong generate a number of laughs in limited screen time.
In the end we have a light, slick well-crafted caper film by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. These guys know how to entertain. They helmed Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), one of the better films of its genre this millennium. I give Crazy, Stupid, Love something like an 8 or 8.5 out of 10, whereas Focus is more like a 7.5.
The conclusion reminded me of 1973's Best Picture winner, The Sting (starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford), but I didn't mind much. I wasn't expecting much to the contrary.
If you're looking for an easy, entertaining evening out, Focus is worth a look.
** FRO'S RATING: 7.5 out of 10 **
