Focus Review

I went to an early screening of this movie with no idea what to expect. When I got the ticket, they gave me a poster and a hat, and I had no idea of whether I would wear that hat with pride, or angrily tear that poster off my dorm-room wall.

The movie stars Will Smith as a master con man, who teaches his craft to a younger woman played by Margot Robbie. After they separate, they meet again three years later in the midst of  one of Smith's  schemes.

While I was expecting this to be, not necessarily a serious film, but a sort of crime drama, there were several comedic elements to it. And several of these were successful with the audience.

Focus deals with the brain and how it can be tricked. The film's protagonists get their way by using several elements of mind-f**k to get their way. This is part of what makes the film so intriguing. However, there are points where it gets ridiculous, like where they try to put a number into a stranger's subconscience. This is a very intricate plan which involves them having a ridiculous amount of control over what he sees, and requires several people to act the way they want them to. As you can see, this is unlikely, and the more I think about it the more holes I can find in it. But for pretty much everything else, their plans are more simple, and leaves you interested in how easily the mind can be manipulated.

The plot is also an intriguing crime story. It is very entertaining throughout most of it, and leaves you somewhat invested in the characters. And keeping up with the message of tricking the mind there are several plot twists.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie a little more than I thought I would. It is good entertainment, and deals with intriguing ideas about the mind. While I don't think I needed the hat and poster as much as other movies that I like, I liked Focus enough to not throw them away.

4.0 out of 5 stars