TwittReview – “Focus” is a heist flick that moves fast and delivers a fun time. Will Smith and Margot Robbie play great off of each other. Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Focus is not your typical con man heist movie. It’s a movie that offers much more than what the previews and television commercials are showing. Smith and Robbie play great off of each other in what has to be one of the wildest relationships ever seen on film. Their dynamic and relationship is based off the con yet their love for each other is real making this is a “Rom Con”! Look at that….a new term created! At the core this is a boy meets girl while working a con job and a grift that eventually leads to a con within a con movie. Many layers like an onion but one that you can peel back and not cry while doing it.

The writing and directing duo of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa deliver a fun movie with fast dialogue fro Smith’s character of Nicky Spurgeon. A character that Smith fits into nicely allowing him to shine and just be himself. Their story and Smith’s performance allow the audience to grab onto Nicky and cheer for him, knowing that he is an anti-hero. Don’t call Margot Robbie the “love interest” as Jess maybe new to the con game, she can hold her own with Nicky and proves to be a good fit for Nicky in both a professional and personal relationship.

The slow methodical opening lends credence to what could have been a stuffy film all into itself. But when the magic happens and Smith gets to shine early with a fun sequence in getting away from Robbie and her character’s accomplish, you realize that Focus is going to be a fun ride and a good time. The fast paced first act taking place in New Orleans to the con-driven second act taking place in Buenos Aries, the mood is light and refreshing. Even the lone dark moment that starts the final act still has a fresh take on what has come before it. And I have to give Ficarra and Requa a big thanks for not dragging this act longer than needed but also giving us a reveal that no one saw coming.

Brennan Brown and Adrian Martinez play Nicky’s best friends and family Horst and Farhad (who is the comic relief) helping with the character setup in the first act. Rodrigo Santoro plays a crafty Formula 1 driver named Garriga who hires Nicky in the second act while Gerald McRaney (who really has been playing the same theme’d character since 1981) delivers a solid performance as Owens, Garriga’s head of security.

Focus is rated R with a run time of 104 minutes. Take your family, your significant other, or yourself and go see this movie!!!