Focus

Play trailer

Focus

PG-13

Released Oct 19, 2001

1h 46m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

55%

Tomatometer

80 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Lawrence Newman (William H. Macy) is an ordinary man who doesn't want to stand out in a dangerous world. Then, unassuming Newman and his sexy, outspoken newlywed wife (Laura Dern) become caught up in a case of mistaken identity. Suddenly the unwitting focus of his neighbors' prejudice, Newman is faced with a choice - to go down as a coward or take a long shot at becoming the unlikeliest of heroes - and tell the truth.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Though full of good intentions, Focus somehow feels dated, and pounds away its points with a heavy hand.

Read Critics Reviews

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

It serves as a forceful reminder of how small a difference there can be between unity and bigotry.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 6, 2002

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Performances, the story's historical origins, and the inherent goodness and contemporaneity of its storyline make Focus a movie worth viewing.

Rated: 2.5/5

Dec 9, 2001

Full Review

Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

Focus is well-meaning, but it's all looks with no substance.

Nov 16, 2001

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 2/5

Dec 6, 2005

Full Review

Pablo Villaça

Cinema em Cena

Escrita em 1945, a histria concebida por Arthur Miller continua tragicamente atual. Felizmente, o diretor estreante Neal Slavin consegue capturar toda a complexidade e inteligncia do livro em um filme engrandecido por timas atuaes.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 9, 2003

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 2/5

Dec 8, 2002

Full Review

Read all reviews

Keith B B

This was such an engaging film with great acting and storyline. William Macy was excellent as usual but Laura Dern did a great job. It's a shame how some people are treated in this country just because of their heritage. It's definitely worth the watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/11/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Excellent film for today's viewers! given our current political climate of 2017

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I finall y understood why my grandmother said, "We got a good name" meaning it was not a Jewish name..I finally understood how my grandfather. was intimidated into closing his store in Queens in the '40's, why my parents searched for a neighborhood with Jewish names on the plat and without restrictive covenants in the deeds and how people even in the 50's and 60's were fired if their boss found out they were Jewish.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"Focus" tells of a bland and nonconfrontational man (Macy) who buys a pair of eye glasses which make him look Jewish after which be becomes the object of antisemitic hostility, etc, blaa, blaa. A kind of lame attempt at revealing antisemitism in America during WWII, the film features solid performances by Macy and Dern though no chemistry exists between them...or anywhere else in the film. Generic, staged, and pale in comparison to many better films about hatred in American, "Focus" is marginal entertainment at best and a very meager history lesson. Passable stuff.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Buenas actuaciones , pero muy lenta , me aburrió.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I was mesmerized by this movie - the acting, the directing the photography - all shed a light on that 1940's era and brought it home as a powerful montage of our behavior when under duress and scrutiny. William Macy was superb along with Laura Dern who is always a marvel. Meatloaf portrayed the large mouthed bigot effortlessly. Anti Semitism is one of the worst kinds of bigotry - since the reasoning behind it is always obscure without basis. "You people have all the money". "You people cheat in business" You people have all the big businesses" - I cried during this movie, especially during the fight scene with the baseball bats - two men swinging bats to defend themselves against brainless thugs. See that movie and look for that which is not obvious - Andi

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Neal Slavin

Director

William H. Macy

Larry Newman

Laura Dern

Gertrude Hart

David Paymer

FInkelstein

Meat Loaf

Fred

Kay Hawtrey

Mrs. Newman

Moonlight Mile

63%

66%

Moonlight Mile

Watchlist

The Emperor's Club

50%

67%

The Emperor's Club

Watchlist

Up at the Villa

45%

36%

Up at the Villa

Watchlist

For Love of the Game

47%

75%

For Love of the Game

Watchlist

Here on Earth

18%

60%

Here on Earth

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Lawrence Newman (William H. Macy) is an ordinary man who doesn't want to stand out in a dangerous world. Then, unassuming Newman and his sexy, outspoken newlywed wife (Laura Dern) become caught up in a case of mistaken identity. Suddenly the unwitting focus of his neighbors' prejudice, Newman is faced with a choice - to go down as a coward or take a long shot at becoming the unlikeliest of heroes - and tell the truth.

Director: Neal Slavin
Producer: Robert A. Miller
Screenwriter: Kendrew Lascelles, Arthur Miller
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Carros Pictures, Focus Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Material|Some Sexual Content|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 19, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $719.8K
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now