"Focus (Requa & Ficarra, 2015)" Fri Feb-27-15 07:39 AM by ZooTown74
Probably would've passed on this had Kristen Stewart not dropped out & let the Milf of Wall Street take over
Pretty good con flick even w/ the leads chemistry still bein a little clunky
Works best at the beginning when she's learning the ropes & what not on a smaller scale. Ramps up to a bigger score that requires a pretty big suspension of disbelief. Rest of the run time centers around another one in Argentina w/ some solid supporting work from Gerald McRaney. BD Wong & Adrian Martinez steal a couple scenes along the way as well.
Sorta sappy at times but much better when it's focused on the funny stuff instead
>Will Smith back. > >A mash up of a few genres (drama, comedy, crime) it worked for >me. > >I thought the chemistry between Smith and Robbie was very >good. > >Also, thought the sound mixing was great especially the scene >on the race track bwtween Smith, Rodrigo Santoro and the old >dude. > >The photography was excellent as well. > >Don't know why this getting an IMAX release, but this shit is >a very solid and entertaining con film b. > >So glad Kristen Stewart passed on this. I don't she has the >chops to pull of a role like this.
8. "FUN - and better than your average crime caper" In response to Reply # 0
This is the first Will Smith film i've seen at the cinema since MiB2 which I only saw because I was in Nairobi killing time before my flight. That is 12 and a half years ago.
But I was a big fan of him back in the day Bad Boys, Fresh Prince, Independence Day, Men in Black - I see why he became a big star - i've just avoided everything in the past decade where he hasn't had the same impact.
Margot Robbie looks cute throughout and she and Will Smith do have very good chemistry - although one scene was reminiscent (stolen and imitated) from Out of Sight with Clooney and JLo.
No need to report the plot - its a crime caper with double crossing - so it helps to know nothing when you go and see it.
Decent supporting cast, I really thought BD Wong stole the scene he was in and Martinez was amusing, McRaney made it feel too much like House of Cards but I grew to like him.
I thought the ending was weak and disappointing but overall I thought it was an enjoyable movie. Go see it.
12. "The Soundtrack - way too many songs" In response to Reply # 0
There are some great songs used in the film and it has a well curated soundtrack right from the opening moments (I'm a Man-Child) the tracks used have been carefully selected. However, it seems every few minutes a new track would be playing and I found this quite off putting. Sometimes when you are watching a film you want no music to allow the actors dialogue to be able breathe. Or even better a taught, dramatic original score - was there an original score in this movie? There should have been for a crime caper.
Most people won't have a problem with the amount of music played in the movie but it bugged me throughout.
There is a listing here of all the songs they used and not just on the soundtrack
For a 'Sting' movie, it never really feels like the stakes are set very high, and even at it's most intense, you never really feel like the main characters are ever really in danger. It always keeps the "fun" tone of Oceans 11, 12 etc...
I enjoyed it. Like another OKPlayer said, the ending is a little weak. The big twist isn't big enough IMO. The movie is a constant game of "who's playing who?" but when you find out in the end, it's not really a big deal.
Will Smith and the other lady have decent enough chemistry, but it would have been nicer to see another actress that could match him in charisma.
15. "I dug it, mainly because it marked the return of Swagged-Out Will" In response to Reply # 0
Yeah, as Wesley Morris pointed out in his review, he still looks tired, but at least he's not doing that dour shit that bores me to tears and made Seven Pounds and After Earth tough to watch.
The problem, such as it was, was Margot Robbie. I just didn't buy any chemistry they tried to have between her and Will. The age difference (he's 46 irl, she's 24) was in the back of my mind as well.
The "Super Bowl-ish" game sequence was outstanding, and was probably the thing that convinced Requa and Ficarra that they had a movie. B.D. Wong was great in that scene; I wouldn't have been mad had he joined up with Will's crew and they continued on their merry hustling way. Such as it is, I was a little confused by the three years later shit; maybe it's because I lost... wait for it... focus. Or, interest, as it were, after that "Super Bowl" sequence.
Anyway, I wasn't mad at it, but I couldn't help but wonder what someone like Soderbergh would have done with it...
________________________________________________________________________________ Your typing ain't as "incendiary" as you think it is.
16. "the chemistry (mild spoiler)" In response to Reply # 15
I thought it worked between them as teacher/pupil, but not as lovers.
But see now, the whole thing with these sting movies is that you are constantly wondering if the characters have something up their sleeves, and are much more clever than they appear.
Buying the two of them as lovers, for me, implied that what he saw in her was his match. That makes the age gap way less awkward IMO.
Only by the end, there was absolutely nothing up her sleeve, and she really was just the small time con that was nowhere near on his caliber.
This was another one of those movies that left me thinking that the ending of the original screenplay much different. And better. Or maybe they shot a different ending and it tested poorly. So they gave it a very underwhelming final twist and a mostly happy ending.
21. "Liked it. Actually gave it 5 stars" In response to Reply # 15
Now before ya'll jump in on me. '5 stars' to me doesn't equal 'classic' or 'perfect'.
To me 5 stars means I feel I recieved a 5 star experience. I laughed a lot there were some tense scenes that had me on the edge of my seat I like Will & Margot plus I dug a lot of the music.
As a package I feel I got the full experience needed to leave the theatre happy
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