Focus

Focus is unpredictable in key twists, so different from most heist films, which often rely on meticulous visuals and period hits, but go forward with a smile and in clearly laid tracks. There is plenty of gloss here too, but you never know what card the main characters will turn over. It's a shame about the ending, which very far from believable. Because as long as stayed within the acceptable, it was a great thing with a contemporary atmosphere and downtempo music that looks and sounds fantastic on the big screen. (01/06/2015)

A decent cast and an interesting topic, however, the whole thing kind of falls flat. Plus, I don’t know why but I had a feeling that Smith was incredibly annoyed by his comeback and found it irritating just to be on set. Let’s say it’s the fault of completely uninteresting dialogues or an overall bland story, and Smith will hopefully pull himself together before Suicide Squad. (03/07/2015)

A pleasant, genre hybrid with interesting twists and great actors. Smith was in desperate need for a come-back, and if it wasn’t for that (over the top) final twist, it would have worked. However, Margot Robbie confirms her abilities and comes across as a talented actress who has more to her than “just" the luck of catching Scorsese’s eye. A visual feast for the eyes. (21/06/2015)

I put Focus on at a very emotional time in my life, when I was feeling everything much more intensely and perhaps quite uncritically. Anyway, it's a perfectly ordinary movie, of which hundreds have been made in America, but I still have my heart in my eyes and I'll argue that this one is much more powerful and profound. In fact, things spark like thunder between the truly divinely beautiful Margot and Will, and I felt that even Romeo and Juliet's love couldn't match theirs. (02/11/2015)

Focus has one great advantage: it is entertaining and unpredictable in its heist plot twists. And it’s also visually beautiful. The costumes, set designs and everything else are glamorously polished to the finest detail. Will Smith and Margot Robbie are cool, the point of the American football scene is top notch. Only the climax loses credibility in its effort to conjure up the biggest and most surprising twist yet. Less would have been more. Despite that, I’m giving this film four stars because it was a pleasant surprise, a rare sight among Hollywood mainstream flicks with lower ambitions. (17/03/2015)