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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... MOVIE REVIEW 'Focus' is pure fun to watch Comment By Chris Honoré for Revels MailTribune.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Mar. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Mar. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Focus; 105 min; Rated R Now that the Oscars ceremony has concluded, it’s not uncommon to assume that we’re in the winter doldrums. The releases from this point forward will be film-lite, mere filler until the late spring and early summer big-tent movies arrive. So it’s a pleasant surprise when a film such as “Focus” appears, starring two actors, Will Smith and Margot Robbie, who both possess the “it” factor, meaning onscreen luminescence that oh so convincingly captivates and fills the screen. It doesn’t hurt that this movie is as slick and shiny as lip gloss and unrelentingly engaging. You can almost hear the audience say, during act one, “Oh, yeah. I’m in.” Smith portrays Nicky Spurgeon, a seasoned grifter who is running a New Orleans crew specializing in stolen credit cards, jewelry, watches and wallets. Robbie is Jess Barrett, a small-time hustler who meets Nicky cute and decides she wants to move up, improve her skill sets, and convinces him to mentor her in the dark arts of graft. Looking at Jess, well, how can Nicky refuse? And so they become a team, and the film takes off as Nicky and Jess repeatedly ask themselves the question whether trust is possible between two people who are slick as black ice while working their schemes and running their scams. Truth and honor among thieves is generally not an option. One hustle takes place in a Super Bowl mega-box where Nicky finesses a wealthy Asian gambler (B.D. Wong), leading him into making a huge bet that is so improbable and ridiculous and wonderfully executed that it seems actually believable. But then the viewer is by now completely on board with whatever Jess and Nicky do as long as they do it together. These two are having way too much fun, and Jess is the ideal foil and often more surprised than the mark as Nicky works his magic. Every setup shines like a commercial for ultra-sheen hair products. “Focus,” by way of contrast, is a long way from the gritty, dark side of the moon themes of, say, Dennis Lehane and his latest novel adaptation, “The Drop,” which was compelling and typical of the gangster genre. “Focus” is closer to “The Sting” or the “Oceans” franchise wherein the schemers work with a crooked smile, lots of hutzpah, and rely on their plan, sweetened with their flimflam banter, rather than their muscle. Mayhem and muscle are unnecessary. OK, there is a little blood. But no serious harm is done. “Focus” moves from New Orleans to Buenos Aires, involves double- and triple-crosses leavened with fast and furious Grand Prix racing. It’s all breezy and entertaining, and if there’s a template, it’s the film “Out of Sight,” with Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney, who also have the “it” factor that makes them so watchable in whatever role they assume. Tangentially, Robbie is not only gorgeous to look at, but she can act (as she did so well in Martin Scorsese’s “Wolf of Wall Street”) and is the perfect counterweight to Smith’s seemingly duplicitous Nicky. So, if you love going to the movies, and your expectations have now been appropriately adjusted post-Oscar, “Focus” is an ideal choice. By Chris Honoré for Revels MailTribune.com By Chris Honoré for Revels Posted Mar. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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