Review—Focus
For all its panache and pizzazz, the con movie genre relies mostly, if not entirely, upon the strength of its characters. The realities that occupy the genre, from the realistic (Catch Me If You Can) to the fantastical (The Prestige), can exist only if the characters that inhabit them gain the confidence of the audience. Con films work best if they can successfully con not just their marks, but also their audiences. Fueled by the well–matched pair of Will Smith and Margot Robbie, Focus is a solid entry in the genre, and directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa almost con us into believing their characters are fully fleshed out.