Remember when Will Smith and Margot Robbie starred opposite one another in a crime comedy? Yeah, I didn’t think you did either, and that’s a real bummer because it’s home to one of Smith’s most underrated performances! “Focus” had a bit of a difficult production history, with Ryan Gosling and Ben Affleck originally slated to play veteran conman Nicky Spurgeon, who takes a would-be femme fatale under his wing to show her the ropes of a career in crime. Alas, after both men dropped out, leaving the project with a pre-Harley Quinn/”I, Tonya” Robbie as the main draw, Warner Bros. wasn’t sure if the project would move forward without “a name.” Sounds silly to think of a time when Margot Robbie wasn’t a license to print money, but that’s showbiz, baby!
Luckily, Smith answered the call, showed up, and gave a startlingly great performance that felt beyond his usual fare. As a film, “Focus” isn’t reinventing the low-stakes crime thriller wheel by any means, but this is a different brand of “cool” for Smith. He’s not leaning into his usual schtick nor is he taking the character too seriously. It’s a suave performance where he gets to play a professional liar, teacher, and chameleon his way into different con personas. It’s a truly inspired turn from an actor most think they’ve “figured out” by now, and one that stands on its own from a script of endless plot twists.