Heist films need a confidence scheme that includes something to grab the victim’s attention away from the prize. In the movie Focus two attractive people serve as the attention grabbers. Will Smith (Men In Black) and Margot Robbie (Wolf Of Wall Street) are exceedingly attractive people. Smith has clearly stepped up the effort to look more physically fit than in any previous film – and this is the guy who looked perfect playing Ali.
Smith and Robbie are very good individually and okay as a romantic couple in this romantic comedy where “the con” is that it is a heist film and “the vic” is the viewer.
The production and cinematographic values in Focus are strong. These two aspects and the attractiveness of the leads are crucial for Focus; as the script is weak to begin – mostly fails at the end.
My favorite heist film? The Sting, hands down. I really liked The Town, too.