focus 2015 movie review

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors.

Now streaming on:

But co-stars Will Smith and Margot Robbie remain consistently charismatic, even once the script for this heist caper collapses in a punishing pile of its own twists and double-crosses.

For Smith, “Focus” functions as a return to form, which admittedly sounds odd in describing a box-office titan who hasn’t really gone anywhere in the past quarter-century. But recent years haven’t treated him so kindly, between the ponderous “ Seven Pounds ,” the forgettable “Men in Black 3” and the disastrous “ After Earth .” Here, as a veteran con man, Smith seems looser—charming as ever but also broken, commanding yet vulnerable. It’s as if he’s finally shifted into the right gear as he settles into middle age—good lord, is the eternally boyish and buoyant Smith approaching 50?—and he’s comfortable there.

For Robbie, “Focus” cements her status as a major star. After a hilarious and head-turning supporting performance in 2013’s “ The Wolf of Wall Street ”—where she nearly stole the whole behemoth of a film out from underneath a larger-than-life Leonardo DiCaprio —the Australian actress proves she’s just as fierce as a leading lady. It’s not just that she’s stunningly beautiful and impossibly photogenic (which she is). She also has great instincts and a flair for comic timing, with a playfulness that’s as powerful as her sex appeal.

The film from the writing-directing duo of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa gives these actors plenty of brisk and snappy material to work with, both individually and as a team in various forms. But, like Ficarra and Requa’s 2011 comedy “Crazy Stupid Love,” “Focus” begins promisingly and bops along enjoyably for a while, only to run out of steam in the third act.

At the start, though, Smith’s Nicky and Robbie’s Jess enjoy crackling chemistry as strangers trying to outsmart each other over wine and candlelight at an upscale Manhattan restaurant. (The way cinematographer Xavier Perez Grobet often shoots them—sitting opposite each other at a table in an opulent setting, bathed in sultry light—is reminiscent of the Steven Soderbergh classic “ Out of Sight ” in ways that surely can’t be a coincidence.) She’s a small-time hustler trying to weasel her way into more lucrative gigs. He’s been at this game his whole life and has major operations down to a science.

Once each of them realizes the truth about the other—if such a thing as truth is possible in a movie about con artists—she begs him to teach her everything he knows. This leads to a scene that’s one of the film’s highlights as they flirtatiously dance around each other in a snowy Lincoln Center, with Nicky preaching the importance of taking away a mark’s focus while pocketing every last one of Jess’ belongings.

Then it’s off to New Orleans, where Nicky reluctantly lets Jess join the massive team he’s assembled to snatch watches and wallets from the unsuspecting revelers who’ve gathered for a Major Professional Football Championship. (Whatever you do, don’t call it the Super Bowl.) Turns out, she’s a natural—a massive distraction in a tight dress with a light touch—as revealed in a beautifully edited sequence amid the crowds of Bourbon Street. And Jess distracts Nicky, too, as the thrill of the wrongness of it all gives way to (not-entirely convincing) romance.

The Superdome itself provides the setting for the film’s tour de force sequence in which Nicky’s gambling habits put him in serious peril with a high roller (an amusing BD Wong) in a luxury suite. This section of the movie could function as its own freestanding short film, it has such a strong arc and it provides such a heady mix of tension and laughs. I wouldn’t dream of giving away its many surprises, but I will say this: You will never listen to the Rolling Stones’ overused “Sympathy for the Devil” in a film the same way ever again.

If “Focus” could have ended there, it would have been a dazzling little gem. But it keeps going, traveling to Buenos Aires three years later. There, Nicky is running another scheme for wealthy race-team owner Garriga ( Rodrigo Santoro ) involving duping his competitors with some high-tech thingy that makes cars go faster. What the device does isn’t important, but the way Nicky uses it to manipulate everyone around him is what sets up the film’s climax, albeit in rather flimsy fashion.

( Gerald McRaney does get to enjoy some truly lacerating language as Garriga’s gruff and mistrustful right-hand man, though. Similarly, Adrian Martinez supplies his share of laugh-out-loud lines as Nicky’s lewd longtime sidekick.)

More importantly, Buenos Aires is where Nicky reunites with Jess, who’s now enjoying a life of wealth and comfort as Garriga’s girlfriend. Of all the gin joints in all the world, right? But while Jess insists she’s left her life of crime behind, nothing in “Focus” is ever that easy.

As vibrant as these characters are, there’s not much to them beneath their glossy surfaces, which makes it difficult to become emotionally invested in whether they end up together—or whether that sort of ordinary human connection is even possible in this extraordinary world. Nicky at least has a backstory about a cold-hearted father, which is intended to explain his inherent cynicism. Jess isn’t even afforded that much characterization.

We know in a movie like this that we in the audience are being played just as much as the poor fools on screen. In theory, that’s part of the fun—trying to stay a step ahead of the action, and often failing. But “Focus” is all surface, all artifice, to the point where we can’t help but expect the duplicity. And the twists come so fast and furious toward the end, they feel more like overkill than a shock. The trick that makes Robbie’s character such an expert thief—her light touch—is the very thing the movie loses toward the end.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Now playing

Revoir Paris

Jourdain searles.

The Human Surge 3

Carlos aguilar.

Sorry/Not Sorry

Matt zoller seitz.

The Nature of Love

Peyton robinson.

Customs Frontline

Simon abrams.

Film Credits

Focus (2015)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and brief violence

104 minutes

Will Smith as Nicky

Margot Robbie as Jess Barrett

Rodrigo Santoro as Gárriga

Robert Taylor as McEwen

Gerald McRaney as Ownes

• Glenn Ficarra

Latest blog posts

Seven Samurai Continues Its Ride Through Cinema's Past and Future

What About Bob? On the Legacy of One of the Best-Loved Comedians, Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

Levan Akin on Making Films His Way, the Queer Art That Shaped Him, and His Touching New Drama Crossing

All About Suspense: Damian Mc Carthy on Oddity

Advertisement

Supported by

Review: In ‘Focus,’ a Grifter (Will Smith) as Life Coach

• Share full article

By A.O. Scott

• Feb. 26, 2015

A silky high-end caper about a pair of good-looking con artists, “ Focus ” is a movie blessedly free of self-importance. It constructs a seductive fantasy world out of actual places (New Orleans, Buenos Aires) and milieus (Super Bowl skyboxes, Formula One racing) and generously grants V.I.P. access to the audience. You may be a few steps behind as the big scams unfold, but you feel more like a player than a sucker. The preposterousness of the story doesn’t seem like a rip-off, since the twists in the plot, for the most part, pay off nicely.

Mostly, it is fun to watch Will Smith and Margot Robbie, and to marvel at whatever divine or evolutionary miracle concentrated so much charisma in the two of them. Mr. Smith’s remarkable ears have never looked better, and his face wears the onset of middle age beautifully. His character, a veteran grifter named Nicky, is a smooth and confident operator, but with a Bogartian undertow of weary melancholy.

Which implies that Ms. Robbie, recently seen in “ The Wolf of Wall Street ,” is Lauren Bacall. Close enough. Ms. Robbie, here playing a con-game newbie named Jess, has a gift for elegant sang-froid, but a greater one for allowing her composure to slip in interesting ways. Jess has a talent for picking pockets and bamboozling drunken men, but she needs Nicky’s guidance if she wants to rise above such petty schemes.

And so he becomes her mentor and her boss, hiring her onto a crew he has organized to harvest wallets, credit card numbers and jewelry in New Orleans. They also become lovers, which would probably raise some red flags if Nicky’s criminal enterprise had a human resources department. Professional ethics are a minor concern, though there is the usual talk about honor among thieves and some chin-scratching about whether a man and a woman who lie and cheat for a living can ever really love or trust each other.

But “Focus” is not the kind of movie that uses an underworld setting to explore the complexities of human behavior. It’s not quite Elmore Leonard for Dummies — maybe more like Carl Hiaasen for Shallow People. Which is no terrible thing. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who wrote and directed the film together, were also responsible for “ Crazy, Stupid, Love .” Both movies are cleverly constructed and smart enough to wander away from their jigsaw-puzzle plots in pursuit of odd moods, comic riffs and half-baked subplots.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Focus (II) (2015)

• User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews
• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘focus’: film review.

Will Smith and Margot Robbie team up in a globetrotting heist flick from the writer-director team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

Focus Still - H 2014

A romantic caper stocked with con artists, good looks but little sizzle, Focus is no Trouble in Paradise , House of Games or The Grifters . This ultra-slick, fantasy-inducing visit to an international wonder world of wealth and deception plays more like an inventory of thieving and gambling techniques than a captivating diversion, even if it’s hard not to be voyeuristically pulled in by some of its ruses. Will Smith and the film’s sexy vibe will likely spur moderately good initial box office, although the vague, undescriptive title won’t help.

A prominent, specially invented screen credit goes to one Apollo Robbins for “con artist adviser/pickpocket design.” And well deserved it is, as the almost continuous display of Mr. Robbins’s tricks of the trade serves as the virtual raison d’etre of this how-to manual of criminal deception (the press notes state that Robbins first gained notoriety by pick-pocketing the Secret Service while entertaining President Jimmy Carter and has picked the pockets of more than 250,000 people). Nifty montages demonstrate the clever use of diversion techniques and the importance of distraction in making anyone susceptible to having their load lightened as bit.

Related Stories

Jabari banks as will smith clashes with estranged father, banks family in 'bel-air' third season trailer, bet awards: winners list.

All this comes by way of a tutorial proffered by Nicky (Smith) to novice Jess ( Margot Robbie ) after they meet on the job, so to speak, in a swank Manhattan restaurant. Shortly thereafter in New Orleans, Jess proves herself an adept student, impressing Nicky with her slick skills in depriving French Quarter celebrants of their booze money. For his part, the old pro heads up a large team of highly trained operatives that manages to separate revelers from more than a million bucks over a long weekend. And there are the after-hours fringe benefits for the on-the-roll old pro and quick learner.

Nicky’s dominant character trait is that he firmly believes he can get away with anything, and it’s this unassailable confidence that feeds the high point of the third feature from the writer-director team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa ( I Love You Phillip Morris ; Crazy, Stupid, Love ). Flush with cash he’s not supposed to bet and with the beauteous Jess by his side in a luxury suite at the Superdome, Nicky begins some friendly wagering with big-bucks Chinese businessman Liyuan ( BD Wong , a hoot), who doesn’t object when Nicky, on a clear losing streak, keeps doubling the bets until they stretch into the millions. An aghast Jess goes ’round the bend with anxiety over her lover’s recklessness, but this is nothing compared to her distress in the aftermath of the high-stakes showdown.

At the tale’s mid-way point, the action shifts to three years later in Buenos Aires, where Nicky alights in the world of Formula 1 auto racing to scheme with arrogant team owning rich boy Garriga ( Rodrigo Santoro ) in pulling a scam on the rival McEwen outfit; Nicky will pose as a disgruntled Garriga employee willing to sell a secret fuel additive to the competition. Big surprise, though: pretty boy Garriga’s girlfriend is Jess, who insists to Nicky that she’s now “out of the game” but then signals that she’d like to run off with him.

Suspecting he’s being played, Garriga sends his tough old enforcer Owens ( Gerald McRaney ) to snoop on the American in what inevitably becomes a contest among experts at playing the long game, of who—Nicky, Jess, Owens, Garriga or perhaps a dark horse out there—will be in a position to play the final card once everyone else’s hand is empty.

Unfortunately, since the major characters’ salient character traits are insincerity, opaqueness and untruthfulness, it’s hard to invest much interest in any of them. The film is all but a feature-length commercial for high living in nothing but the most luxurious hotels, the best restaurants and the most expensive clothes, and yet it’s not exactly a goof or cartoon of glamorous characters committing crimes against those who can live with it, a la the Oceans films, nor a sophisticated battle of equals, as in Lubitsch’s immortal Trouble in Paradise .

Rather, Focus occupies an uncertain middle ground between a lark and a caper with serious underpinnings. The writers trot out sordid backstory about Nicky’s father and grandfather that’s supposed to explain his go-his-own-way behavior, but the baggage seems to oppress Smith as well, to keep him from being as funny and fun to be around as before; here, the actor feels older, less spirited. This also diminishes any desire one might have for Jess to end up with Nicky, no matter what the script may intend. Nicky might be the zen master of con artists and believably becomes an awe-inspiring combination teacher/lover for Jess. But a good prospect for long term mate? One would bet against it.

Robbie builds on the strong impression she made in The Wolf of Wall Street a year ago with a vigorous and, it must be said, highly watchable turn as a promising student made good. Adrian Martinez inspires much mirth as Nicky’s outsized and good-humored cohort in crime. Also notable is McRaney as a bird of prey ready to pounce on Nicky at any moment; McRaney (financier Raymond Tusk in House of Cards ) seems poised to take on any roles Robert Duvall might have played were he in his sixties.

Focus is nothing if not sleek and luxurious; it’s a fantasy portrait of the upside of a sort of criminality that’s portrayed as relatively benign, that is, without victims of physical harm. The Buenos Aires locations of the second half provide backdrops that are welcome in their relative unfamiliarity in Hollywood films. 

Production: Di Novi Pictures, Zaftig Films Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney, Adrian Martinez, Robert Taylor, BD Wong, Brennan Brown, Dominic Fumusa Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Screenwriters: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Producer: Denise Di Novi Executive producers: Charlie Gogolak, Stan Wlodkowski, Steven Mnuchin Director of photography: Xavier Grobet Production designer: Elizabeth Mickle Costume designer: Dayna Pink Editor: Jan Kovac Music: Nick Urata Casting: Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield

R rating, 105 minutes

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Ryan reynolds on how they got madonna to license “like a prayer” for ‘deadpool & wolverine’, dave bautista says he tries to sneak his signature wwe finishing move “into every film”, anna faris reveals she would return to ‘scary movie’ franchise under two conditions, kevin feige weighs in on “trying to crack” the new ‘blade’ movie, says r-rating likely, glen powell and ‘twisters’ co-stars make surprise visit at luke combs concert to chug beers onstage, whitney rydbeck, ‘friday the 13th’ actor and crash test dummy in seat belt ads, dies at 79.

Film Review: ‘Focus’

Will Smith plays a con man who meets his match in this suave but slight outing from the directors of 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.'

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

• How JD Vance Went From ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ to the Ultimate Celebrity Apprentice — Thanks to Hollywood’s Help 4 days ago
• With ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Despicable Me 4’ Propping Up the Summer Box Office, Could 2024 Be the Year of Animation? 1 week ago
• ‘Wallace & Gromit’ Creator Nick Park Credits Disney for Sparking Interest in Animation, Teases ‘Vengeance Most Fowl’ and Feathers’ Long-Awaited Return 1 week ago

Every movie star is a con artist of sorts, seducing audiences into forking over millions by adopting a character bigger than him- or herself. But what to do when the streak falters?  Will Smith made his film debut as a high-society scammer in “Six Degrees of Separation,” and now, a bit more than 21 years later, he’s back at the hustle in “ Focus ,” a sexy sleight-of-hand caper that feels small-time by the tentpole king’s standards, though a solid opening ought to prove Smith’s ongoing drawing power — and that there is life after the commercial debacle of 2013’s “After Earth.” Lithely directed by the duo responsible for “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” this suave if quick-to-dissipate divertissement shrewdly recasts the star in the George Clooney mold — a good look for the next stage of Smith’s career.

With the rare exception of 2005’s hit “Hitch,” romance hasn’t really been Smith’s bag. Some stars build their entire careers on it, while others hardly ever let love factor into their work (as those developing material for Dwayne Johnson know, “the Rock don’t do romance,” for example). In the two decades since Jerry Bruckheimer got his hooks in him with “Bad Boys,” Smith has mostly led with his swagger, whereas here, he dips into the vulnerability that served him well in riskier outings, such as “The Pursuit of Happyness.” With “Focus,” the whole movie hinges on whether we believe he’s met his match: Can one woman possibly break through and tame him?

Related Stories

Gen alpha prefers social video over paid streaming: 2024 kids survey, armie hammer denies robert downey jr. paid for his rehab, but says actor gave him advice: ‘sit down, shut up and everything is going to be ok'.

From the moment Smith’s Nicky Spurgeon first sets eyes on Jess (“The Wolf of Wall Street” stunner Margot Robbie ), he never misses a beat as he quickly sizes up her scam. He notices her boosting watches from married men at the hotel bar, so he’s less than surprised when she lures him upstairs and attempts to pull a classic badger game, in which an accomplice claiming to be her husband bursts in to find them in flagrante delicto. The whole encounter suggests that writer-director duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have studied not only how con men operate, but also the best of the genre (having already supplied one of its looniest entries with “I Love You Phillip Morris”), channeling the sultry, smooth-jazz vibe of Steven Soderbergh’s “Out of Sight” from the opening scene.

Popular on Variety

That’s the tone they’re going for here: Elmore Leonard novel meets Sharper Image catalog. While Smith and Robbie build the dynamic through flirtatious badinage — best exemplified by a touchy-feely lesson in using distraction to separate a mark from his or her valuables — the production team reinforces the mood through a mix of sleek tones and sensual textures. Three for three in the surprise-chemistry department, Ficarra and Requa more or less confirm their ability to generate sizzle from thin air, reteaming with Xavier Grobet, the d.p. who lensed their debut, to give this pic its sultry look.

“Focus” cleanly divides into two parts, and both work best the less one knows about who’s playing whom. Suffice it to say that both Nicky and Jess are operating on more levels than either of them lets on, and that just when things appear to be cooling down, they’re really just heating up. Jess is desperate to rise above fleecing rich guys for their spare change, so she shimmies up to Nicky and tries to work her way onto his crew, which has gathered in New Orleans, to skim the crowds gathered for a championship game (composed of made-up teams in a fictional football league). Nicky allows himself to be seduced, recognizing how the arrangement might serve his own ends, but it catches up with him in the second half, when Jess resurfaces in Buenos Aires, this time on the arm of his rich new boss, racing mogul Rafael Garriga (Rodrigo Santoro), who’s flaunting a fuel-burning formula that everyone else in the industry wants.

Early on, Nicky expressly tells Jess that there’s no such thing as “the big con,” or the kind of operation so lucrative that everyone can retire and live like kings. “We deal in volume,” he explains, setting up a slick montage of pickpocketing — a virtually invisible craft made flagrant for our benefit, if only to emphasize how a skilled swipe relies on teamwork. This demonstration is designed to win us over, but if the filmmakers have convinced us of anything at this point, it’s that they’re working even harder than the characters are to deceive us. For example, there’s the horse race in which Nicky manages to wipe out his winnings, which only we get to see, setting up a gambling problem he might not actually have.

At one point, we see Nicky make the tough decision to step away from the table, as it were, by cutting things off with Jess before she gets too close. When she shows up again, he’s affected in ways we might find hard to believe, if not for the fact that we’re the only audience to his inner anguish, which we must therefore trust to be sincere: Nicky arrived in Buenos Aires with the intention of double-crossing Garriga, but now he seems to be willing to settle for the man’s girl — potentially a far more dangerous prize, given the distrustful looks he gets from Garriga’s surly head of security (Gerald McRaney).

Ficarra and Requa have fun watching Smith’s previously cool character unravel with jealousy, slyly playing against the star’s ego-driven, level-headed persona. It’s a nice change to see Smith unsettled, and Robbie, who wields the upper hand for the better part of the movie, more than holds her own in every scene. Together, they justify the shortcuts the filmmakers take in executing the con, which balloons from a $1 million payday to $27 million without laying the necessary groundwork for all that extra income. The real payoff is the moment it all comes crashing down, quite literally, in a long scene involving a side character, a few shots of tequila, a neck brace and the waste of a perfectly good Ferrari. While not quite the “art” it’s billed to be, if the perfect con is about diverting one’s focus, then this one keeps you distracted ’til the end.

Reviewed at Warner Bros. screening room, Paris, Feb. 23, 2015. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 105 MIN.

• Production: A Warner Bros. release and presentation, in association with Ratpac-Dune Entertainment of a Di Novi Pictures, Zaftig Films production. Produced by Denise Di Novi. Executive producers, Charlie Gogolak, Stan Wlodkowski, Steven Mnuchin.
• Crew: Directed, written by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa. Camera (color), Xavier Grobet; editor, Jan Kovac; music, Nick Urata; music supervisor, Jason Ruder; production designer, Elizabeth Mickle; art director, Kelly Curley; set decorator, Lisa Sessions Morgan; costume designer, Dayna Pink; sound (Dobly Digital/Datasat), Paul Ledford; supervising sound editor, Paul Urmson; re-recording mixers, Skip Lievsay, Urmson; visual effects supervisor, Jim Rider; visual effects, Method Studios; special effects supervisor, Matt Kutcher; stunt coordinator, Charlie Croughwell; con artist adviser/pickpocket designer, Apollo Robbins; associate producer, Jeffrey Harlacker; assistant director, Stephen Hagen; casting, Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield.
• With: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Adrian Martinez, Gerald McRaney, Rodrigo Santoro, B.D. Wong, Brennan Brown, Robert Taylor, Dotan Bonen, Griff Furst, Stephanie Honore.

More from Variety

‘chicago med’ star dominic rains will not return for season 10 as a series regular, with redbox’s demise, the dvd rental business bottoms out, toby keith tribute special set at nbc featuring carrie underwood, jelly roll, lainey wilson, luke bryan and more, nbc reveals fall premiere dates, starting with ‘the voice’ and zachary quinto’s ‘brilliant minds’ on sept. 23, why sony is betting on ‘palworld’ after the early hype, how to watch macy’s fourth of july fireworks online, more from our brands, 2024 tour de france livestream: how to watch the final stage online for free, first drive: the lotus emeya targets porsche, mercedes, and lucid with its 905 hp performance, powering the wnba’s meteoric rise on and off the court, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, the boys’ colby minifie talks ashley’s super finale twist, explains her decision not to leave with a-train.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 78% Twisters Link to Twisters
• 86% Longlegs Link to Longlegs
• 92% National Anthem Link to National Anthem

New TV Tonight

• 85% Cobra Kai: Season 6
• 89% Kite Man: Hell Yeah!: Season 1
• 100% Simone Biles: Rising: Season 1
• 67% Lady in the Lake: Season 1
• 80% Marvel's Hit-Monkey: Season 2
• 59% Those About to Die: Season 1
• 50% Emperor of Ocean Park: Season 1
• -- Mafia Spies: Season 1
• -- The Ark: Season 2
• -- Unprisoned: Season 2

Most Popular TV on RT

• 80% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 93% The Boys: Season 4
• 100% Supacell: Season 1
• 89% The Bear: Season 3
• 76% Presumed Innocent: Season 1
• 89% Sunny: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• 89% Sunny: Season 1 Link to Sunny: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

50 Best 1980s Cult Movies & Classics

71 Best Sci-Fi Movies of the 1950s

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

Cobra Kai : Season 6, Part 1 First Reviews: Funny and Emotional, but Give Us the Rest Already

• Trending on RT
• Disaster Movies
• Cobra Kai First Reviews
• Glenn Powell
• Shows on Amazon Prime
• 80s Fantasy Movies

Focus Reviews

Ultimately “Focus” is a movie stymied by its amoral vanity, its overload of mediocre twists and turns, and the lukewarm chemistry between Smith and Robbie.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 20, 2022

Could use a bit more focus in the storytelling-a late movie plot twist doesn't ring true given the lead up to the big reveal-but it zips along at such a pace and is enough fun that you may not notice.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 4, 2021

The entire picture is suffused with an ample dose of humor, keeping the constant double-crosses airily artful.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 4, 2020

I was very impressed with this movie and I am glad that Will has got his groove back...

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5/10 | Nov 20, 2020

With a little more focus Focus could have been the blockbuster that Smith desperately needs it to be.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Sep 7, 2020

Margot Robbie and Will Smith share a tangible chemistry, but their story doesn't go anywhere.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jul 16, 2020

With a lazy script, lazy central performances, and the look of a straight-to-DVD Nick Cage flick, Focus doesn't offer much to enjoy.

Full Review | Apr 10, 2020

Ficarra and Requa are trying to make The Sting or The Usual Suspects, but their story lacks the former's sense of fun and the latter's disciplined structure.

Full Review | Jan 9, 2020

Overall, Focus starts well, looks good with [Will] Smith and [Margot] Robbie as engaging as ever but it ultimately (and ironically) loses focus.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 19, 2019

Focus has the utmost intense scenes without guns or violence and a brilliant plot, full of wit and surprises to match.

Full Review | Original Score: 9.2/10 | Nov 13, 2019

You could do worse than sitting still for the solid entertainment and frothy brain twists in Focus.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 5, 2019

Lithe and funny until it's leaden and obtuse, Focus would be pleasantly forgettable were it not for Margot Robbie, who is announced here as a capital letter Movie Star.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jul 30, 2019

It's hard to move past the feeling that Focus is little more than wealth porn, wallowing in depictions of expensive cars, snazzy suits and the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Jul 5, 2019

Very occasionally Focus' Hollywood glamour is offset by an allusion to the idea that money can't buy happiness, but essentially this is a hustler romp with a surprisingly romantic slant.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 14, 2019

A fun bit of escapism that doesn't overstay its welcome, a tightly compacted little yarn from directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jan 24, 2019

Despite their 22-year age difference, [Smith and Robbie] connect in that old Hollywood bantering way where a smile and a clever turn of phrase were enough to begin a romance.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | Dec 25, 2018

Focus is undeniably entertaining in most of its parts, but it's not as clever as it tries to be.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Dec 20, 2018

A high-stakes gambling scam during the Super Bowl... is particularly nerve-wracking. This pace is exhilarating. But, unfortunately, isn't sustained throughout this otherwise perfectly fun and funny con-man flick.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 11, 2018

FOCUS is never too clever for its own good, while still managing to be an out of the ordinary film. Luckily, for Smith and Robbie, the duo have an undeniable charm that carries this duplicitous escapade.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Dec 8, 2018

Robbie walks away with scene after scene in the movie, simply by being alive in the moment and alert to all possibilities.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 6, 2018

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• What Is Cinema?

Focus Is a Copycat Caper That Gets By On Movie Star Appeal

Focus , a stylish, slyly shallow new con-artist caper, isn’t as cool as the movies it wants to be like. One scene borrows brazenly from the crackling seduction scene in Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight , but here the sexiness is slightly synthetic, a corporate pastiche. It also aims for the heist slang humor of Soderbergh’s Ocean’s movies, with made-up thieving terms like “the Toledo panic button” and “the little blind mouse” zinging around. But its wit is a little too soggy to contend with Danny Ocean and the gang. And with its two appealing leads, Will Smith and Margot Robbie , the movie is perhaps trying to commercially succeed where the excellent, underseen 2009 con-artist romance Duplicity , with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen, didn’t. That niftily constructed movie mixed light intrigue with romantic wrangling, con as flirtation and foreplay. Focus does that too, just in a less grownup way.

Still, it’s a solid late-February offering, modestly proportioned, clever, and amiable. Written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa , who directed the squishy romantic comedy Crazy Stupid Love a few years back, Focus is bright and attractive. Sure, the closer you get the more it has a cubic-zirconia feel, costume jewelry instead of the real thing, but, hey, it’s a plenty breezy diversion here in the latter days of this seemingly unending winter.

Smith plays Nicky, a cocky con man who meets cute with a low-level grifter, Robbie’s Jess, in New York City one wintry night. He gives her a little tutorial on pickpocketing, teaching her how to lift a wallet or jewelry using subtle techniques: distraction, pulling focus (like the title!), etc. He then bids her adieu and heads to New Orleans for a big job, but she follows him, and after proving her mettle, is invited onto the team. Nicky’s crew is in the Crescent City for Super Bowl weekend, where they pick pockets and steal purses and clone credit cards at such a volume that it becomes a million-dollar operation. They’re crooks who are probably ruining a lot of people’s vacations, but those people are shown to be saps and rubes, they probably deserve to be robbed by all these sexy criminals. It’s maybe even a privilege.

Of course, as always, there is a bigger score afoot, and the second act of the film leads us, sneakily, to the culmination of that scheme. Smith and Robbie have been bouncing off each other this whole time, and though their 22-year age difference (Robbie is about as old as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , gasp) creates a faint whiff of ickiness, mostly it’s a lark to watch them together. Smith, finally unburdened after doing years of frowny sci-fi and action (even MIB:III was kinda downbeat), has a limber agelessness about him. And man is he charming when he really turns it on, funny and dashing and magnetic. And Robbie, who won my heart as a plucky farm girl in this year’s Sundance drama Z for Zachariah , oozes innate movie-star charisma, beaming with a natural radiance, equal parts smarts and looks, that just can’t be taught. Robbie and Smith both know they’re dynamos, they know they look good, and so they have fun dancing together. And we have fun watching them.

Ficarra and Requa manage to sustain the film on that fusion for a while, as the story jumps ahead in time and whisks us down to Buenos Aires for the most high-stakes job yet. But as the relationship between Nicky and Jess gets more complicated, and it becomes unclear who’s conning whom, the script works itself into some corners that require too much effort to get out of. This mostly sleek, light-weight movie doesn’t look good when it struggles, which it does too much as Nicky goes to work for a playboy race-car enthusiast ( Rodrigo Santoro ) and his grizzled body man ( Gerald McRaney ). The movie gets caught up in its own cool, setting us up for a couple of big fake-out “it was a con all along” endings that don’t quite satisfy when they arrive, and have the unfortunate side effect of cutting Jess out of the deal. I kept waiting for her to finally get some real traction, some real agency, but the moment never really arrives. Which is disappointing, especially considering what a powerful element they have in Robbie.

Nevertheless, Robbie acquits herself admirably with what she’s given, making a strong Wolf of Wall Street followup that’s got some flairs of artistry (I only wish Ficarra and Requa had indulged those impulses more), but is sexy and funny and intriguing enough to maybe be a mild commercial hit. Her career will continue on its upward trajectory after this, I’ve no doubt. Focus is also a nice little revival for Smith, who works his way through a script that’s sometimes witty and sometimes crass with an aplomb that reminds us why we all loved him so much for so many years. More like this, Mr. Smith! And I’d encourage Ficarra and Requa to explore the appealing voice they show here in fits and starts. Hopefully their next project will borrow a little less from movies they like, though. Being influenced is fine. But lifting like this? That’s a petty crime.

Richard Lawson

Chief critic.

The Hollywood Outsider – Film and Television Podcast | Reviews An award-winning film and television podcast for the fan in all of us

Focus (2015) | Movie Review

Aaron B. Peterson February 27, 2015

Focus stars Will Smith as Nicky, a professional grifter and con man of extreme skill, a man who spends every minute of his life looking for the next lift. After witnessing Jess (Margot Robbie) firsthand, and haphazardly, attempting to swindle the swindler, Nicky agrees to take Jess under his wing. A criminal intern, if you will.

The beauty of a con or heist film is going into the movie with as little information as possible, to determine if you can figure it all out before the mark knows what hit him. In the spirit of that, there will be little more I will explain on the specific plot of Focus. The filmmakers, for once, have done a great job keeping the details of the plot out of the advertising, which will make for a much more entertaining experience as you weave in and out of Nicky and Jess’ world of grift and grab.

Focus wants to be several things, most prevalent is the romance that blossoms between Nicky and Jess. How can two people with the moral scruples of a lifetime politician ever survive the tortures of love? If you think you and your significant other have trust issues, imagine if you both robbed innocent people for a living? It makes situations a bit more complicated.

One of the problems Focus has is this very nature of wanting to be too many things. As the film progresses, even as the cons become more and more elaborate, it seems to be unsure of exactly what kind of film it wants to be. Is it a romance with a criminal backdrop? Or is it ultimately a con film with the love angle used as nothing more than a diversion to an unsuspecting audience?

Ultimately, I saw the film’s plot as a bit meandering and random. While every single con was thrilling and the romance completely works thanks to the chemistry of the two leads, it felt like vignettes of a film as opposed to a film structured in the classical sense. We all know it is enjoyable to not know exactly where a film is headed, but when it is over, if the pieces do not line up perfectly (as the ‘hotel’ scene does not for me), it becomes a minor exercise in madness. Thankfully, Focus has two of the most charismatic actors working today to stack the deck the way the film deserves.

When I think of an actor that could verbally swindle me out of millions due to his smooth-talking charm and effortless wit, I think of Will Smith. Sure, he made a misstep with After Earth, but Smith has always been a movie star in the truest sense of the word. The man shows up on screen, flashes that Big Willy smile, and any past mistakes are instantly forgiven. He glides in and out of every scene like the silk shirt wearing shark he is, catching everyone in, as well as watching, the film off-guard. Regardless of what material Smith is playing with, he can salvage just about any property by sheer force of Will.

Margot Robbie. This is an actress we only know from The Wolf of Wall Street. A beautiful woman absolutely, yet Robbie is much more than just a pretty face. This is an actress seemingly born to be a movie star. Not since Jennifer Lawrence emerged on the scene have I witnessed an actress with such a capacity to captivate the camera lens at her every whim. As Jess, Robbie allows herself to be both vulnerable and opportunistic, and succeeds at both marvelously. She is an actress to watch. You will also be treated to short yet entertaining performances by Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney, and Robert Taylor (Longmire fans, you are in for a treat), but make no mistake: this film is almost strictly revolving around Nicky and Jess.

Review Overview

Production - 6.

If $10 is the full price of admission, Focus is worth $6

Starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney, Robert Taylor Written by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Directed by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Aaron Peterson The Hollywood Outsider

Tags entertainment film focus hollywood margot robbie movie outsider podcast review will smith

About Aaron B. Peterson

• Become a Critical Movie Critic
• Movie Review Archives

Movie Review: Focus (2015)

• Aaron Leggo
• Movie Reviews
• 3 responses
• --> March 21, 2015

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. Even when viewed at surface level, there’s nothing more to the movie than that. It’s fluff from top to bottom. But it’s a brand of tasty fluff that writers/directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra prove very good at handling. They command the camera with cool confidence, as if they’re calmly drifting in the wake of Will Smith’s oozing charm.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

Requa and Ficarra keep the whole movie in such nimble territory that the morality of the situation never feels particularly important. 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.

Focus isn’t about ripping people off anyways, but rather how awesome one must look and act to be able to rip someone off. 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. The script keeps trying to push Nicky and Jess into some sort of romantic entanglement, wherein the movie hides many of its twists, but a lack of sexual chemistry between the two very good-looking leads stalls any progress there.

Still, what Smith and Robbie lack in spark together, they make up for with a buzzing platonic charm that makes them work as an onscreen pair better than that lack of romantic chemistry should ever be able to allow. Robbie is effortless here and she can more than hold her own against a mega-star like Smith. Likewise, Smith is very much in his element here, playing it cool and managing to make all that tight, coiled energy of his seem inviting instead of alienating, especially important considering Nicky is a pretty cold, heartless guy.

That’s where all the old-fashioned movie star charisma comes most importantly into play. We have to like Nicky, or at least admire him, so we don’t get bogged down in hating the guy. An emotional investment isn’t particularly necessary and Requa and Ficarra clearly have no desire to dig deep enough to locate any pocket of dramatic resonance. Charm will have to do instead. Well, that and a bunch of plot twists.

Misdirection and redirection are major elements in a con movie, of course, so much of the fun here comes from trying to guess who’s doing the playing and who’s getting played. Nicky and Jess have an on-again/off-again relationship that frees up the plot to jump ahead in time and place, only to reconnect the characters as conveniently as before.

The introduction of a storyline that centers around competition among Formula 1 racing teams and some fancy software is just an excuse to muddy the waters of perception further, but the lavish world of Buenos Aries parties and big money being tossed around fits the movie’s slick style. And Requa and Ficarra know how to add little dashes of extra flavor to spice up a scene, such as when Nicky meets with a client on the sidelines of a racetrack and the open-wheel cars roar by throughout the conversation, ambient noise cranked up to ear-ringing decibels.

A scene like that one easily encapsulates what Focus is all about. It’s loud and flashy and timed just well enough to keep us guessing. As the twists start piling up, things get sillier and obviously a whole lot of things have to go exactly right for Nicky and Jess’s plans to move forward to the next stage of the con. But Requa and Ficarra have manufactured the surprises with the knowledge that we’ll question all of it, so they at least provide backup explanations for everything and aren’t afraid to pull us in one direction far enough that the twist is hard to spot on the other end.

For a flighty throwback to the days of star vehicles relying on little more than the star, Focus is a welcome jaunt. It’s great to see veteran Smith engaged and nearly newcomer Robbie further proving she’s a rising talent to watch. And Requa and Ficarra show plenty of promise as they gingerly step just inches beyond the borders of the more comedic work they’ve done in the past. This is hardly brand new territory for any of the key players here, but it still feels more fresh than stale. Of course, it doesn’t feel like much of anything overall. The movie’s touch is ever feather light and there’s nothing significant to really hold on to here. So let it float away, a trifle that’s fun in the moment, then poof! Gone an instant later, possibly with your wallet.

Tagged: con man , race , relationship , thief

You and I both know the truth. You just don't admit it.

Movie Review: Favourites (2019) Movie Review: Uncut Gems (2019) Movie Review: Onward (2020) Movie Review: The Invisible Man (2020) Movie Review: Cats (2019) Movie Review: Frozen II (2019) Movie Review: Corporate Animals (2019)

'Movie Review: Focus (2015)' have 3 comments

March 21, 2015 @ 12:19 pm Hypnotoad

Margot Robbie could charm me of all my worldly possessions and I still wouldn’t hate her.

Log in to Reply

March 21, 2015 @ 12:45 pm gulf-shore

Margot Robbie is gorgeous. I’d watch a movie with her just sitting in a chair.

March 21, 2015 @ 1:32 pm Menenstein

Good date movie – got a little something for everyone.

Privacy Policy | About Us

 |  Log in

Focus Review

27 Feb 2015

105 minutes

You know where you stand with a caper movie. Slippery as an eel, light as a goose-feather and populated by attractive people telling each other porkies, it will inevitably feature a seasoned grifter reciting hard-won knowledge to a scrappy upstart. “There’s hammers and nails,” Will Smith whispers to Margot Robbie in Focus. “You decide which you want to be.” Fortunately, she doesn’t ask how to figure out if you’re an electric drill.

As this exchange implies, the latest entry in the category of film that is cinéma du swindle is a rather over-familiar confection. But at least it’s rarely as generic as its thuddingly first-base title, and while the route it takes is one that’s been travelled cinematically many times before, it has enough dazzle along the way to make it worth a watch.

Smith and Robbie slip easily into their roles. Frequently cast as an authority figure, most recently in the joyless After Earth, Smith revels in the opportunity to play super-slick hustler Nicky. And Robbie gives as good as she gets, marvellously gutsy as pickpocket Jess. Part romantic comedy, part Jedi/padawan training drama, Focus is a fine showcase for their chemistry — and no doubt the reason they’ll be reunited in next year’s Suicide Squad.

Writer-directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the minds behind Crazy Stupid Love, manage for the most part to freshen up the formula with nifty sleight-of-hand. The opening set-piece starts with the pair meeting in conventional romcom style, and ends as something much sneakier, as Nicky and Jess put their cards on the table and recognise each other as kindred spirits. There’s a wonderful ‘ta-da!’ moment over brunch in a café as the scale of Nicky’s operation is revealed. In one standout sequence we track a villainous henchman as he goes about his business, killing time until he ambushes our heroes.

The problem is that overall, the movie is just a little too light. Gliding smoothly from one situation to the next, Nicky is a character for whom everything comes effortlessly — as a gruff, foul-mouthed enforcer snapping at his heels, Gerald McRaney displays more personality in one scene than Smith is allowed during his entire screentime. He’s a cypher: a fun companion for the ride, but difficult to root for when the guano hits the fan in the third act. Jess is more interesting, but it’s one of those films that’s only as gripping as the bit of plot-twistiness that’s going on at any given time.

Speaking of which, the highlight is a ten-minute sequence at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. So self-contained it could work as a short film, it guest-stars BD Wong as a giggling, filthy-’tached billionaire who challenges Nicky to a high-stakes bet, and quickly spirals into a hugely suspenseful, assured piece of cinema. It’s at this point that Focus flies.

Related Articles

Movies | 14 05 2017

Movies | 09 04 2017

Movies | 11 02 2016

Movies | 02 03 2015

Movies | 27 02 2015

Movies | 23 12 2014

Movies | 09 10 2014

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

• DVD & Streaming
• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Mystery/Suspense , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• February 27, 2015
• Will Smith as Nicky; Margot Robbie as Jess Barrett; Adrian Martinez as Farhad; Brennan Brown as Horst; Gerald McRaney as Ownes; Rodrigo Santoro as Garriga

Home Release Date

• June 2, 2015
• Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

Nicky knows his stuff.

It’s not the sort of stuff you’d teach your kids or talk about in mixed company. But it’s a certain well-practiced knowledge that only comes after a great deal of hard work and only, really, to a choice few.

It’s like that light-footed grace some athletes have on the sports field. Or the fleetness of mind that only a very few deep thinkers can muster. In Nicky’s case, though, his skill set is something altogether different. He’s a seasoned con man who can easily convince you of pretty much anything he wants you to believe.

He can put you at ease while he steals away your fortune and leaves you thinking it was all for the best. He can kiss your wife, pick your pocket and kick your dog while letting you believe you won the lottery that day. And no matter how things might go sideways, Nicky plays out his part with such a cold, calculated efficiency that he always lands on his feet with his pockets full.

He’s been able to do all that by following one simple rule: “There’s no room for heart in this game.” You can’t care about the mark. You can’t care about who gets hurt. You can’t even care about your partners in the con.

Now there’s a problem for Nicky, though. He’s met someone. Someone special he can’t get out of his head. Her name is Jess, and she’s hit him with an emotional broadside that’s left him reeling. And caring. She’s a thief too. And she’s getting pretty good at it under Nicky’s tutelage. In fact, they fit together in every way better than any two people he’s ever known.

But that shouldn’t matter. It can’t matter. He needs to walk away. He can’t keep caring.

If you let heart get between you and a job, you can lose your focus. If Nicky knows nothing else, he knows that this business is all about focus. And he’s losing it.

Positive Elements

This film is “focused” on people who steal for a living. So there’s not a lot to praise in their actions except to say that among thieves there is a certain standard of honor upheld here. And the film does suggest that love can have a softening, positive effect even on the most heartless. Thus, Nicky warns Jess to get out of crime before it hurts her.

Spiritual Elements

A fellow thief suggests that he should “take it up with God” when Nicky asks him a rhetorical question.

Sexual Content

A number of women, in clubs and at poolside, wear outfits that expose curves and cleavage. Jess is the camera’s favorite subject when it comes to ogling. We see her naked and topless in a short yet quite sensual sex scene with Nicky. And we see her in various stages of undress—from a skimpy bikini and lacey undies to formfitting dresses. A man has sex with a prostitute, and the camera examines her lower back and bare backside while highlighting a “tramp stamp” she wears. A comrade in crime “accidentally” shows Jess a picture of his penis on his phone (out of the frame). Jokes are interjected about straight and gay sex.

Violent Content

A hired thug purposely rams his SUV into Nicky’s car, leaving Nicky and Jess bruised, slashed and bleeding. Nicky and Jess both get punched in the face. A man is shot in the chest and appears to be bleeding out. A suction device is plunged into someone’s chest to extract the blood from his lungs. His wounds are then wrapped in duct tape until he can be transported to the hospital.

Crude or Profane Language

Over 50 f-words and 20 s-words join multiple uses of “h—,” “a–” and “d–n.” God’s and Jesus’ names are abused a dozen or more times, with God’s twice getting linked with “d–n.” Crude and/or obscene references are made to male and female body parts.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Wine and hard liquor flow freely during several dinner scenes and parties, and while a group sits in an outdoor café. Crooks toast their success with glasses of champagne. A wealthy owner downs shots and guzzles champagne while watching his race car run the track. We see several people smoking, both cigarettes and a cigar. Jess jokes about having been given a “roofie.”

Early on, Nicky tells the eager-to-learn Jess that if you redirect a mark’s focus, you can pretty much do whatever you want. Then he proceeds to demonstrate his point while he banters, redirecting her focus repeatedly so he can lightly lift her possessions.

By film’s end we in the audience come to see that the movie itself has been playing that same sleight of hand game on us—redirecting our gaze with likeable characters, an easy pace and pleasant settings, then surprising us several times with the story-con it’s concocted.

It is, quite frankly, an interesting experience.

It isn’t, however, always a good one.

For like a grimy pickpocket’s hand, the movie leaves something behind as it executes its cinematic feint. We’re left with some dirty mental fingerprints made up of an abundance of foul language and crude dialogue mixed with some sexy, fleshy visuals. And we’re left with the unfocused idea that well-executed lies, thefts and cons are something quite special and beautiful to behold.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

Latest Reviews

Find Me Falling

My Spy: The Eternal City

Weekly reviews straight to your inbox.

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

I’m a sucker for caper movies in which impossibly clever con artists do impossibly dangerous things while looking impossibly gorgeous. I could feel Focus trying to be that caper. I’m not asking for nirvana, such as Hitchcock’s Notorious or David O. Russell’s  American Hustle , just a taste of sexy escapism. A taste is all you get in Focus , but it’ll do till the whole enchilada comes along.

Priscilla Presley Sues for 'Abhorrent' Financial Elder Abuse, Claims Losses Over $1 Million

Kyle gass deletes donald trump apology post following tenacious d fallout, ariana madix sued over sandwich shop, two days after tom sandoval lawsuit, 'suits' returning to tv this fall with 'l.a.' spinoff.

Will Smith brings all his Slick Willie charm to the role of Nicky Spurgeon, a con man practically from the womb. Nicky and his crew can steal the tighty off your whities. His trick is to divert your focus so you won’t know what hit you. Naturally, Nicky never lets anyone get close. Then Jess Barrett (Margot Robbie) enters the scene. This bombshell is a rookie at the game until Nicky gives her his master class.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa ( Crazy, Stupid, Love ), who share writing and directing chores on Focus, are setting up a romance between two people who can never trust each other. It’s a game that shows its hand way too early to take us in. But the two stars, looking glam as they traverse glam locales like New Orleans, New York and Buenos Aires, are dazzling distractions. Robbie is a wow and then some. The Aussie actress who made us sit up and take notice as Leonardo DiCaprio’s wife in  The Wolf of Wall Street shows a comic flair backed up with beauty and steel. Even when Focus fumbles, Robbie deals a winning hand.

'Suits' Returning to TV This Fall With 'L.A.' Spinoff

• By Daniel Kreps

Bob Newhart Tribute Special to Air on CBS

• Network Effect
• By Brian Hiatt

Jane Fonda Remembers 'Kind, Wry, and Very Funny' Bob Newhart: 'Just Like on Screen'

• In Memoriam

Cheng Pei Pei, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' Actress, Dead at 78

‘lady in the lake’ intertwines two tales of tormented women. one of them is great.

• By Alan Sepinwall

Most Popular

Shannen doherty, 'beverly hills 90210' and 'charmed' star, dies at 53, bob newhart, dean of the deadpan delivery, dies at 94, 88 irresistible prime day finds you’ll instantly add to your cart, oakland rapper shot and killed at grand opening of her beauty supply store, you might also like, jerry fuller, songwriter-producer whose dozens of hits include ‘young girl,’ ‘travelin’ man’ and ‘show and tell,’ dies at 85, the 15 best watches for men at every price point, according to experts, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, lisa kudrow calls ‘the comeback’ fandom ‘thrilling,’ says ‘we’re due’ for a third season, powering the wnba’s meteoric rise on and off the court.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Talk with Kids About Violence, Crime, and War

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common sense media reviewers.

Charming but uneven heist film is too sexy for young teens.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Lots of illegal/iffy behavior here, but in the end

The characters are all criminals, so it's hard to

Characters are tied up and held at gunpoint. One c

Nicky and Jess have sex several times, but the sce

Frequent but not constant strong language: "f--k,"

Piaget watches, Apple electronics, car brands incl

Adults drink at dinners, bars, and parties -- most

Parents need to know that Focus is a heist flick about Nicky (Will Smith), a master con artist who meets and falls for the beautiful young Jess (Margot Robbie), who wants him to mentor her in the art of scamming people. With superstar Smith and the gorgeous Robbie as the leads, expect even middle schoolers to…

Positive Messages

Lots of illegal/iffy behavior here, but in the end there's a lesson that love should mean more than money -- and that when it comes to lies, better to make them the "normal" lies that are meant in kindness ("yes you look good in that") than the compulsive kind that you start to believe yourself.

Positive Role Models

The characters are all criminals, so it's hard to consider them role models, but at least Nicky realizes that love is more important than "the game."

Violence & Scariness

Characters are tied up and held at gunpoint. One character is shot. Nicky has to publicly punch a man for the sake of a con. A bodyguard purposely crashes into a car to kidnap the passengers. A woman is hit in the face.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Nicky and Jess have sex several times, but the scenes aren't explicit -- lots of kissing, clothes being removed, and bare skin/backs/legs/"side boob," but no frontal nudity. During the scams, women are about to sleep with men when their "angry husbands" walk in, and scare off the marks, who leave their pants (and wallets) behind. Frequent raunchy/explicit innuendo and banter between characters.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Frequent but not constant strong language: "f--k," "s--t," "s--theel," "f--king," "a--hole," "race skank," "bitch," etc. Lots of raunchy innuendo as well.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Piaget watches, Apple electronics, car brands including Mercedes.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults drink at dinners, bars, and parties -- mostly wine, mixed drinks, and champagne.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Focus is a heist flick about Nicky ( Will Smith ), a master con artist who meets and falls for the beautiful young Jess ( Margot Robbie ), who wants him to mentor her in the art of scamming people. With superstar Smith and the gorgeous Robbie as the leads, expect even middle schoolers to show an interest, but the content is more appropriate for older teens. There's plenty of strong language ("f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch") and raunchy innuendo, as well as several sex scenes, though they're limited to kissing and shots of bare shoulders, backs, and the sides of breasts (no frontal nudity). The con artists drink frequently, and a couple of times the main characters have to deal with private bodyguards who take their guns out, crash into them, and take them hostage. One character is shot. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (9)
• Kids say (14)

Based on 9 parent reviews

Ages 16 and up

What's the story.

In FOCUS, Nicky ( Will Smith ) is a renowned third-generation con artist who can convince anyone of anything. He has a vetted network of cons working for him, and he can work jobs big or small. One day at a posh hotel restaurant, he meets Jess ( Margot Robbie ), a young blond who unsuccessfully tries to run a con on him. Instead of getting angry, Nicky gives her some professional advice. Later, during a Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans, Jess tracks Nicky down and begs him to mentor her. He agrees, and he's amazed at her skills: She's a criminal genius. As he integrates her into his weekend of coordinated cons, they become lovers. He tells her his father's rule that "love has no part in the game" and lets her go without a real goodbye. But three years later, they bump into each other again in Buenos Aires, where Nicky's working on a huge con with the billionaire owner of a car racing team, Garriga ( Rodrigo Santoro ) -- who happens to be Jess' boyfriend.

Is It Any Good?

Focus isn't going to join Ocean's Eleven in the pantheon of great caper films, but that doesn't mean it's not a lot of fun. That's mostly due to the leads' ridiculous charm and the funny supporting characters who make several scenes appropriately tense but comical. It's easy to forget how good Smith is at comedy, and Robbie's timing is better than you might expect. But it's the scenes with their marks or their colleagues that are the best -- whether it's Nicky's hilarious right-hand man, Farhad (Adrian Martinez), or a rich gambling addict deliciously played by B.D. Wong . When the cons are doing their work, the movie is like a pick pocket's version of the Wolf of Wall Street -- you can't help but laugh as they steal bags, watches, wallets, and identities.

Ironically, the movie's biggest flaw is its own lack of focus, and the various twists and turns start getting a bit old and almost predictable by the climactic ending (if the audience "focuses" enough themselves, they'll figure out a key plot point). As Jess tells Nicky, "you saw what I wanted you to see" -- and in this case, it's a couple of "aha" moments too many. This is a fast-moving, shiny movie where you find out very little beneath the surface about any character or any theme. But, hey, it's still entertaining enough to make it watchable.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about movies that humanize criminals. Do movies like these make you root for criminals? Is that OK? What makes a character sympathetic?

Do you think Focus glamorizes the lives of con artists? What does Nicky mean by quoting his father's edict that "love has no place in the game"?

Why is it so common for older men to have relationships with much younger women in movies? Smith and Robbie are 22 years apart. Conversely, why do so few movies show relationships between much older women and younger men?

Movie Details

• In theaters : February 27, 2015
• On DVD or streaming : June 2, 2015
• Cast : Will Smith , Margot Robbie , Rodrigo Santoro
• Directors : Glenn Ficarra , John Requa
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 104 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : language, some sexual content and brief violence
• Last updated : May 3, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Ocean's Eleven

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Matchstick Men

Best classic comedy films, comedy tv shows for teens.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

‘Focus’ (2015) Movie Review

By Brad Brevet

If you’ve seen even an ounce of the film’s marketing, before you even step into the theater you’re aware Focus is a conman “thriller” and so you’re going to be looking for clues as to what’s really going on. Hell, the title alone is basically daring you to try and figure it out before the “big reveal”. Writer/director duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are clearly aware of this and you can almost see the wheels turning as they try and set the audience up for what I assume they believe is a whopper of a finale. And, in all honesty, I would be fine with how Focus ended had it only not betrayed the character traits it establishes along the way and had it not been so lazy in setting up the relationship between its two leads.

Will Smith plays Nicky, a hot shot conman that other members in his trade seem to not only know his name, but know of his dad. One such person is Jess ( Margot Robbie ), a newbie who finds herself attempting to pull one over on Nicky, a con he’s onto before she even invites him up to her hotel room. See, he’s that good and he’s consistently proving it and yet you just know he’s going to let his guard down and let love in. After all, this is Margot Robbie, the blonde from The Wolf of Wall Street and she’s all dolled up and meant to move some blood. And this is where the film suffers the most, not only are the characters con artists, but so is the film.

Focus is glossy and manufactured to the point it’s as fake as the characters it’s attempting to portray. Nicky and Jess know each other for about three days (or maybe it was a week, I don’t know) and, what, they fall in love? Then the story separates them for three years and… To say more would be to give too much away, but suffice to say, if Nicky’s as good as we’re lead to believe, not only is the second half of this movie improbable, it’s as stupid as it could possibly be and it assumes it’s audience would be equally stupid for going along with it.

I know the thought process, just throw up a twisty tale and if the audience can’t figure out what’s really going on before it’s revealed they’ll be so surprised by what happens they’ll forget how dumb the journey was in getting there. Forgiveness is earned and this movie earns nothing. It tells us everything and shows us nothing.

Who is Nicky? Just some con man with daddy issues who wears $3,000 suits, living the life that’s oh-so-cool. Who is Jess? Just another con artist with a specialty in watches, a line Robbie delivers late in the film that I’d say is the actual highlight of the entire feature. Why do we care about either of these two people? Because they’re the leads in the movie. Do we care about their relationship? Not one bit. So, when Nicky is knee deep in a con in Buenos Aires and Jess shows up you think to yourself, that’s quite the coincidence , but when it comes to Nicky is anything coincidental? That’s a question I’d like to ask Ficarra and Requa, because I’m not sure even they would have a satisfying answer.

Xavier Grobet serves as the film’s director of photography, giving it a high contrast polished look that has top shelf bottles glowing neon blue and retina burning colors popping off the screen. Focus has the look of a Michael Bay production without the explosions and sex appeal and where a film from Bay is separated from the likes of Ficarra and Requa is that Bay almost exclusively directs stories about empty and shallow people whereas these two don’t seem to know what they’ve gotten themselves into… and they wrote the script!

Ficarra and Requa are a curious duo as their films all seem to suffer once they reach a certain point. I Love You Phillip Morris was essentially the same movie told twice and Crazy, Stupid, Love. doesn’t know when to end, going on for damn near 30 minutes too long. Here they manage to offer a decent enough set up, establishing Nicky as conman extraordinaire and Jess as the energetic protege, but where it goes from there almost feels like an episode in a second-rate, primetime television show where you’re asked to tune in to see what kind of hijinks Nick and Jess get up to next week. No thanks.

And as far as the performances go, Smith seems to have groomed his acting career to the point his characters all dwell on this fake, heightened plain of existence. He seems too perfect, too controlled and too affected. Early on it seems it might work, enough to keep you off balance as to what’s really going on inside, but as the film wears on it becomes evident there’s nothing there and all of it feels false. It’s impossible to root for or against such a character and to simply watch him exist isn’t rewarding at all.

Robbie comes away relatively unscathed. There isn’t much for her to do other than play the blonde beauty, a role she has no issue with whatsoever, and the supporting cast, which includes Rodrigo Santoro , Gerald McRaney and Adrian Martinez offer very little, though Martinez does get a few chuckles as Nicky’s tech-savvy friend and peer.

A good conman film can, and should be fun, but there is little fun to Focus . It seems more interested in being cool than entertaining. I think we’re meant to want to be these people, but I’d prefer to want to hang out with such shysters rather than be them. After all, they’re criminals, and we should be drawn to like them before we want to be them. Too bad for Focus , but my interest in the characters and the film is pretty much nil.

Share article

Focus (2015)

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop...and the consummate con man off his game.

New Scooby-Doo Movie Sets Up Hanna-Barbera Cinematic Universe

The new Scooby-Doo movie is titled S.C.O.O.B. and will lead into other movies based on Hanna-Barbera's Saturday morning cartoon line-up.

2016 MTV Movie Awards Winners List

Find out who took home all of the big awards tonight during the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart.

Star Wars & Deadpool Lead 2016 MTV Movie Awards Nominations

Disney's global blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens leads with 11 MTV Movie Awards nominations, followed by Deadpool with eight.

Kevin Smith Gifts Daughter with Harley Quinn's Suicide Squad Bat

Director Kevin Smith revealed on his Facebook page that he gave Harley Quinn's actual bat from Suicide Squad to his teenage daughter.

Suicide Squad Has a Creepy & Violent Harley Quinn Says Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie offers some insight about playing a character as 'crazy' as Harley Quinn and working with Will Smith again on Suicide Squad.

14 Most Pirated Movies of 2015

The year's biggest hits trail behind some surprising inclusions on the list of Top 10 Pirated movies of 2015.

Disney's Jungle Cruise Is an Edgy Period Movie Says the Rock

Dwayne Johnson shares some new insight into his Jungle Cruise movie as writing begins on this 1920s set adventure.

The Rock Will Captain Disney's Jungle Cruise Movie

Dwayne Johnson is attached to star in Disney's big screen adaptation of their theme park ride Jungle Cruise.

Suicide Squad: What You Need to Know

Director David Ayer is midway through shooting Suicide Squad, and we already know quite a bit about what to expect when the movie opens in August 2016.

Suicide Squad: Jai Courtney on Captain Boomerang Prep

Jai Courtney confirms that Captain Boomerang will stick to his Australian roots in Suicide Squad, with shooting to begin in a few weeks.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Will Smith's Focus Takes $19.1M

Focus debuts in the top spot at the box office with $19.1 million, followed by Kingsman: The Secret Service in second place.

BOX OFFICE PREDICTIONS: Can Focus Beat Fifty Shades?

Will the star power of Will Smith and Margot Robbie take down Fifty Shades of Grey this weekend? Take a look at our projected top 10.

Focus Review

The beautiful people are the sleight of hand that will keep you entertained.

Margot Robbie Compares Suicide Squad to Dark Knight

When asked where Suicide Squad falls between Dark Knight and The Avengers, star Margot Robbie sides with Batman.

Focus Trailer: Will Smith Teaches the Science of Trust

Will Smith and Margot Robbie plan the con of a lifetime in the latest look at the Warner Bros. thriller Focus.

Suicide Squad: Will Smith Promises Best Deadshot Ever

Will Smith is happy to bring the lesser-known DC character Deadshot to the big screen in Suicide Squad, calling his the definitive version.

Will Smith Takes the Lead in Crime Thriller Bounty

Will Smith will portray a convicted murderer who escapes prison to clear his name in the Paramount action-thriller Bounty.

Will Smith Calls After Earth Excruciating

Will Smith opens up about the box office failure of After Earth and why it was more painful than Wild Wild West.

Focus International Trailer: Will Smith Gets Conned

Margot Robbie is about to turn the tables on Will Smith in the latest look at Focus, which follows a con man about to get conned.

Suicide Squad Movie Cast Has Not Read the Script

Will Smith and Margot Robbie talk Suicide Squad secrecy, revealing that director David Ayer won't let them read the script yet.

Focus (2015)

Focus Review

"Wait, what is Focus again?" This is a question that is usually fired back at me, over the past few weeks, when people ask me what I've seen recently and really liked.

Lately, when I run down the movies I've seen recently, "Focus" is always one of those movies I mention, because I really, really liked it. But then, without fail, the person I am talking to asks what "Focus" is. And then I have to explain it to them. This probably has to do with the film's nebulous title and equally nebulous ad campaign, which isn't exactly explanatory (or particularly evocative or moody). So let me tell you just what "Focus" is, exactly. And when I explain what it is, you'll probably be shocked you haven't heard more about it.

Stream & Watch Focus

Trailers & Clips

Cast & Crew

Featured news.

Movie Details

Similar movies.

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

Get the Reddit app

The goal of /r/Movies is to provide an inclusive place for discussions and news about films with major releases. Submissions should be for the purpose of informing or initiating a discussion, not just to entertain readers. Read our extensive list of rules for more information on other types of posts like fan-art and self-promotion, or message the moderators if you have any questions.

Official Discussion: Focus [SPOILERS]

Synopsis: In the midst of veteran con man Nicky's latest scheme, a woman from his past - now an accomplished femme fatale - shows up and throws his plans for a loop.

Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Writers: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Will Smith as Nicky Spurgeon

Margot Robbie as Jess Barrett

Rodrigo Santoro as Garriga

Gerald McRaney as Owens

BD Wong as Liyuan

Robert Taylor as McEwen

Dominic Fumusa as Jared

Brennan Brown as Horst

Griff Furst as Gareth

Adrian Martinez as Farhad

Alfred Tumbley as Dogs

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%

Metacritic Score: 56/100