Focus Movie Review – A Con Artist Story
Focus is a 2015 Hollywood movie telling the compelling story of a con man, Nicky Spurgeon, and his mentee, the femme fatale Jesse Barrett. The movie has many twists and turns and is bound to keep you glued to the screen until its very end. Read our full Focus movie review to learn more about the film’s cast, plot, and how gambling plays a key role in it.
Focus Movie – Crew, Rating, Distributor, & More
Focus was released in 2015 by the American film production and distribution company, Warner Bros. Pictures. It was written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. Both critics and viewers were rather divided in their opinion of the movie. According to some, there are plot holes and issues with the script and even the leading performances. Others found the movie extremely entertaining and loved the cast.
| 🎦 Released | 2015 |
| 🏢 Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 💰 Budget | $50,100,000 |
| 💸 Box Office | $158,800,000 |
| 📺 Genre | Comedy, Crime, Drama |
| 🎬 Directors | Glenn Ficarra, John Requa |
| ✍️ Writers | Glenn Ficarra, John Requa |
| 👩👨 Actors | Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Brennan Brown |
| 🎞️ Running Time | 1h 44 min |
| ✅ IMDb | 6.6/10 |
| 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes | 56% |
| 🍿 Metacritic | 56% |
The Focus film’s producer is Denise Di Novi. She was also the producer of Crazy, Stupid, Love., The Best Of Me, A Walk To Remember, Heathers, and more. Datasat and Dolby Digital are responsible for the sound mix. Overall, the movie has a lot to offer and grossed $158,800,000 worldwide. For reference, its budget was around $50,000,000.
Focus Movie Cast
With such a remarkable cast, it is no wonder that the movie became such a big success. The Focus movie cast features some of the most popular and beloved faces from Hollywood. The leading male role is played by none other than Will Smith. The female lead is played by the then-rising star Margot Robbie. The Focus movie cast is perfectly complemented by the amazing supporting actors, including Gerald McRaney, Brennan Brown, Adrian Martinez, and Rodrigo Santoro.
| 🌟 Cast | 🎥 Role |
|---|---|
| Will Smith | Nicky Spurgeon |
| Margot Robbie | Jess Barrett |
| Brennan Brown | Horst |
| Adrian Martinez | Farhad |
| Rodrigo Santoro | Rafael Gerraga |
| Gerald McRaney | Owens |
| BD Wong | Liyuan Tse |
Before going to Will Smith and Margot Robbie, who would later star in the 2016 Suicide Squad movie together, the two leading roles were offered to Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, both of whom ended up dropping out from the movie. Ben Affleck and Kristen Stewart were also considered by the casting directors. Ultimately, we believe that Will Smith and Margot Robbie make a splendid on-screen con duo and give us an irresistible performance.
She managed to get to the audition on time, which cannot be said for Will Smith. The actor was late and excused himself by saying that he “was coming from Queens” to which Robbie replied, “Yeah? Well, I just came from an island off Croatia, and I’m here on time”. She believes that this is what got her the role.
Focus Film Plot and Trailer
Focus movie is full of unexpected turns and surprises. It takes us on a ride into the life of a third-generation con man Nicky Spurgeon. He runs a big fraud operation in New Orleans involving cash, identity theft, credit card spoofing, and more. While in New York for business, he meets Robbie’s character, Jesse Barrett.
Jesse is a young aspiring con woman who tries to rob him but fails miserably. She then asks Nicky to teach her the tricks of the trade, to which he agrees. It goes without saying that the two get romantically involved. You can watch the official Focus movie trailer via the link below:
We would hate to spoil the movie for you, so you would have to watch it to know what happens next. We will only mention a few things – at some point, Nicky and Jesse part ways and then the plot takes us to Buenos Aires, three years later. There Nicky Spurgeon would attempt one of his biggest hoaxes. Everything can easily go wrong, especially when there is a woman involved. Yes, Jesse shows up, and things get intense. Interested yet? You should be, and rightfully so!
Gambling in the Focus Film
Next, in our Focus movie review, we will discuss how gambling plays a significant part in the filmOne of the best gambling scenes in the movie is with Nicky and Jesse at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. While watching the game, they start placing small bets just between the two of them for fun. Things take an unexpected turn when gambler Liyuan Tse, played by BD Wong, hears them and decides to get involved offering a more tempting bet of $1000.
Nicky and Tse continue their betting game, increasing the stakes significantly while doing so. At one point, Nicky has already lost all his crew’s money, when he makes a “double or nothing” bet, asking Tse to pick a random player on or off the field, while Jesse would guess which player he has chosen. Frustrated and clueless, Jesse refuses to participate but is left with no choice.
It is when she takes the binoculars to try and guess the player Tse has chosen that she sees a familiar face on the field. It is Farhad, a member of Nicky’s crew. Jesse realises that this is yet another con, and they end up winning and doubling their money. The crew has been focusing (pun intended) on Tse for some time and tricked him into choosing that exact player.
But at the end of the day… this is a game of focus. Nicky Spurgeon play by Will Smith in Focus
The “double or nothing” bet is actually similar to the martingale strategy. Essentially, you double the bet after every loss. This way, you would cover up your loss after the first win and even make a profit. Obviously, as with all the rest of the gambling strategies, there is never any certainty, and luck is the main factor. The “double or nothing” strategy is based on the belief that you cannot keep losing forever.
Watch the Focus Full Movie Online
Since its release, the Focus film has been available for streaming on many platforms, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. As of the time of writing this review, Focus is unfortunately not available on Netflix in the UK and USA. You can still watch the Focus full movie online on other platforms. If you are a fan of gambling-related movies and TV series, then we recommend you also have a look at the following titles:
The 21 movie is a great fit for all blackjack lovers. Mississippi Grind has an amazing cast, including Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, and Sienna Miller. Ocean’s Eleven is a classic from 2001, while Molly’s Game tells the true story of Molly Bloom. The Color of Money is another classic from 1986, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Paul Newman. The actor won an Academy Awards for Best Actor for his role in the movie.
Focus Movie Reviewer’s Opinion
The Focus film was actually fun to watch. There are many plot twists that would not let you get bored. The ending is not predictable, and you might be left a bit surprised. The cast is amazing. After all, we are talking about one of the best Hollywood actors, Will Smith, and the beautiful and, most importantly, extremely talented Margot Robbie. Brennan Brown and Gerald McRaney are also impeccable in their performances.
The script is fun and witty. The good screenplay is combined with beautiful scenery from New York, New Orleans, and Buenos Aires. Interestingly, the Louisiana gambling laws are among the most liberal in the country, and New Orleans is one of the best US cities for gambling. We agree that some aspects could have been better, however, the overall result is great. We recommend you check out the movie!
Focus Movie Review – Frequently Asked Questions
We have reached the end of our Focus movie review. In it, we have covered all important aspects of the movie, such as cast and crew, plot, the Focus movie trailer, and more. We also reviewed how gambling is entangled in the plot of the film. If you still have some questions, then make sure to have a look at our helpful FAQ section below.
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