Lawrence Newman (William H. Macy) is a Gentile personnel director at an NYC company during WWII. When he bows in to pressure and gets a new pair of glasses, he starts to get treated badly because too many people think the glasses make him look Jewish. All of a sudden, his eyes are opened to just how much hatred there is in his Brooklyn neighborhood, some of it directed towards local shop keeper Mr. Finkelstein (David Paymer). Lawrence hooks up with a pretty lady named Gertrude Hart (Laura Dern), and because she is also mistakenly assumed to be Jewish, this merely adds to his problems.
Arthur Millers' 1945 novel gets adapted for the screen by screenwriter Kendrew Lascelles, and director Neal Slavin, an award winning photographer making his filmmaking debut. Given Mr. Slavins' background, it's not surprising that the film looks great (despite being actually filmed in Toronto, on a limited budget). And while "Focus" may not be subtle, it still makes its points in a reasonably entertaining manner. It examines the whole nature of ignorance and bigotry, and how such a minor, superficial detail as eyeglasses could cause people to assume the worst. Even Lawrence is not immune from pre-conceived notions about Jews, so the experience is illuminating for him. One of the best moments occurs when Finkelstein surmises that Newman is not really seeing him for WHO he is.
A fair amount of the running time is devoted to the evolving romance between Newman and Gertrude, who come across as basically good people. The always excellent Macy and a luminous Dern make for an appealing couple. Paymer delivers a standout performance as the man who will not let bigots drive him from the neighborhood that he knows and loves so much. Meat Loaf rounds out the main acting quartet, and delivers a capable, believable performance as a hostile neighbor. Kenneth Welsh has a great cameo as a volatile priest leading the anti-Jewish movement.
While the ending does leave you wanting more, it does at least offer a faint glimmer of hope.
A compelling film, in general, if not all that memorable.
Seven out of 10.
Arthur Millers' 1945 novel gets adapted for the screen by screenwriter Kendrew Lascelles, and director Neal Slavin, an award winning photographer making his filmmaking debut. Given Mr. Slavins' background, it's not surprising that the film looks great (despite being actually filmed in Toronto, on a limited budget). And while "Focus" may not be subtle, it still makes its points in a reasonably entertaining manner. It examines the whole nature of ignorance and bigotry, and how such a minor, superficial detail as eyeglasses could cause people to assume the worst. Even Lawrence is not immune from pre-conceived notions about Jews, so the experience is illuminating for him. One of the best moments occurs when Finkelstein surmises that Newman is not really seeing him for WHO he is.
A fair amount of the running time is devoted to the evolving romance between Newman and Gertrude, who come across as basically good people. The always excellent Macy and a luminous Dern make for an appealing couple. Paymer delivers a standout performance as the man who will not let bigots drive him from the neighborhood that he knows and loves so much. Meat Loaf rounds out the main acting quartet, and delivers a capable, believable performance as a hostile neighbor. Kenneth Welsh has a great cameo as a volatile priest leading the anti-Jewish movement.
While the ending does leave you wanting more, it does at least offer a faint glimmer of hope.
A compelling film, in general, if not all that memorable.
Seven out of 10.