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Focus (Blu-ray Review)

July 7, 2015 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Starring: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Gerald McRaney, Rodrigo Santoro, Adrian Martinez
Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Running Time: 105 mins
Certificate: 15
Release Date: July 6th 2015 (UK)

Before Focus went in front of the cameras there was huge amount of interest in it in Hollywood, with the likes of Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Ben Affleck and Kristen Stewart all being attached at one time or another. However, in the end it went to Will Smith and Margot Robbie as the two leads.

After watching it, I kind of wondered why so many people were so keen on it, as while fairly fun and decently entertaining, there’s very little to set it appear from a hundred other con-artist thrillers. [Read more…]

New Focus Trailer – Will Smith shows off his con man side

December 22, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Will Smith is showing off a slightly different side in Focus. He’s previously been known to turn down roles if his character wasn’t an out-and-out good guy, but that’s certainly now the case here.

Here’s the synopsis: ‘Will Smith stars as Nicky, a seasoned master of misdirection who becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess (Margot Robbie). As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in Buenos Aires in the middle of the high-stakes racecar circuit. In the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme, she throws his plans for a loop… and the consummate con man off his game.’

It’s definitely something a bit different for Will. The film is due out in the UK on February 27th, 2015. [Read more…]

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ACTORS: Will Smith, Margot Robbie FILMS: Focus

Focus Trailer – Will Smith turns con man opposite Margot Robbie

October 10, 2014 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Will Smith has been very picky about what movies he’ll star in for the last few years, however he’s got a new one coming up called Focus, where he turns con man who take a younger grafter under his wing (and as you can see from the pic above, he’s certainly been hitting the gym).

It’s something a bit different for Will, whose previously been known to turn down roles if his character wasn’t an out-and-out good guy, and that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case here. The movie is due out early 2015. [Read more…]

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ACTORS: Will Smith, Margot Robbie DIRECTORS: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa FILMS: Focus

Rodrigo Santoro Will Be In Focus With Will Smith

August 20, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Rodrigo Santoro

A couple of months ago Will Smith signed on to star in Focus, replacing Ben Affleck who’d been circling the movie. Margot Robbie is already set to co-star and now THR reports that 300 star Rodrigo Santoro has joined them.

The film is about a veteran con man (Smith) who takes a young woman (Robbie) under his wing and teaches her the illicit trade before falling for her. Years later, they reunite in Buenos Ares as he is planning a complicated operation. Rodrigo Santoro is playing the target of this con, who’s the owner of an international racing team. He is also trying to win over Margot Robbie’s character.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love) are directing from their own original script (Santoro previously appeared in their movie I Love You Philip Morris). Shooting is scheduled to begin this October in New Orleans and Buenos Ares.

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ACTORS: Will Smith, Rodrigo Santoro DIRECTORS: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa FILMS: Focus

Margot Robbie Comes Into Focus, Starring Opposite Will Smith

July 16, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

margot-robbie Margot Robbie’s career should get a good boost soon thanks to a major role in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf Of Wall Street, and now she’s following that up with another big movie, as Variety reports that she’s landed the female lead opposite Will Smith in Focus.

The likes of Michelle Williams, Jessica Biel and Rose Byrne and Olivia Munn also tested for the role over the last few weeks, with the part coming down to a contest between Robbie and Munn. No official offer has apparently been made, but insiders says Robbie is the one who’s been chosen.

Smith and Robbie is certainly a different pairing than was originally planned, as the first idea was to have Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone re-team for the con-man movie, but timings couldn’t be worked out. Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck were also considered for the male lead, with Kristen Stewart also flirted with for the movie.

Now it finally seems the cast is sorted and the film can move forward, with Glenn Ficarra and John Requa directing. It ‘follows an inexperienced female con artist who teams up with a more seasoned male one’.

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ACTORS: Margot Robbie, Will Smith DIRECTORS: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa FILMS: Focus

Will Smith Replacing Ben Affleck In The Drama Focus

April 18, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

It’s all change on the Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love) movie Focus, as while Ben Affleck and Kristen Stewart had been due to star, they’ve now both left movie. They have found a replacement for Affleck though, with Variety reporting that Will Smith is in final talks to make the main role.

It’s Will Smith’s involvement that’s caused Kristen Stewart to leave, not because she doesn’t like Will, but due to the fact it was felt there was too big of an age gap between her and Will Smith (she’s 23, he’s 44).

The story follows a veteran con man (Will Smith) who takes an inexperienced grifter under his wing, before falling for her. Years later, they reunite and begin to complicate each others lives. Will Smith had reportedly been interested in the project for awhile, but only recently committed fully to the project.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are directing from their own original screenplay. There’s no news on when it might shoot.

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ACTORS: Will Smith, Ben Affleck, Kristen Stewart DIRECTORS: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa FILMS: Focus

Live by Night Next For Ben Affleck, While He Drops Out Of Focus

January 11, 2013 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

While his acting career may have been on the skids, Ben Affleck has become one of the hottest directors in Hollywood thanks to the likes of Argo and The Town. He’s had several films on the go as his potential next project, but he’s now confirmed that Live by Night, which he signed up for last October, will be his next project. He’s also dropped out of the film Focus.

Affleck told MTV, “Basically I’m doing a movie called Live by Night and I’m trying to meet this schedule in order to do it, in order to meet the back end so that I can have it released at the right time, and I just hadn’t gotten enough writing done and it became clear that if I took that job and was in Buenos Aires for three months [to do Focus], I was going to miss the deadline. I had to choose between getting the movie out when I want to or doing this one, so reluctantly I chose the [former]. But I love those guys, I love Kristen (Stewart), I was really excited to work with her, I think the movie is going to be fabulous, and I’m sure they’ll find a great guy for it.”

Focus, written by Crazy Stupid Love directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, is about a con man who takes a young thief (Kristen Stewart) under his wing, although he falls for her and the relationship crumbles. Years later, they meet up again and begin to complicate each others lives even further.

Live by Night meanwhile reunites Ben Affleck with author Dennis Lehane. Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, was adapted from the Boston novelist’s book. This new movie centres on the son of a police chief who takes to a life of crime.

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DIRECTORS: Ben Affleck FILMS: Focus, Live By Night

Kristen Stewart Gets In Focus Opposite Ben Affleck

November 3, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Hollywood’s love of pairing young women with significantly older men continues with the news 22-year-old Kristen Stewart is in talks to portray the female lead in Focus, where she’d star opposite 40-year-old Ben Affleck.

The movie is about a veteran con man (Affleck) who teaches a grifter (Stewart) the tricks of his trade. Complications arise when they get romantically involved, before going their separate ways. They meet once again years later, when their past romance comes back to haunt them.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love) are directing from their own screenplay. The initial plan was to reteam Crazy Stupid Love co-stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone for the movie, but due to the fact they’re both ridiculously busy, no deals were ever made. (Source: Variety)

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ACTORS: Kristen Stewart, Ben Affleck DIRECTORS: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa FILMS: Focus

Ben Affleck May Get Into Focus For Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

October 10, 2012 By Tim Isaac Leave a Comment

Ben Affleck may have been concentrating on his directing career recently, but he’s still up for starring on other people’s movie, as Deadline reports he is in early talks to star in the Warner Bros. drama Focus from the writer/director team Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love).

Back in April Crazy Stupid Love stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were eyeing the project. However, they are no longer involved in the project, with the studio now focusing on finding a female lead to star alongside Affleck.

The moive is about a con man who becomes romantically involved with his new grifter protege before they part ways. They meet once again years later and once more begin to complicate each other’s lives.

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are directing from their own original screenplay, with Denise Di Novi producing. It is said that Warner Bros. wants to find a female lead quickly so they can get this into production as soon as possible.

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ACTORS: Ben Affleck DIRECTORS: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa FILMS: Focus