Directed by:
Neal SlavinCinematography:
Juan Ruiz AnchíaComposer:
Mark AdlerCast:
William H. Macy, Laura Dern, David Paymer, Meat Loaf, Kenneth Welsh, Kevin Jubinville, Jennifer Jostyn, Wendy Lyon, Cristos, Davenia McFadden, Joseph Ziegler (more)VOD (1)
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Set during World War II, FOCUS is based on Arthur Miller's first published novel. It is the story of Lawrence Newman (William H. Macy), a man who has settled into a relatively anonymous life. He lives with his mother, has held the same job for twenty years, and rarely strays from his daily routine. He even witnesses a woman being attacked outside his window and remains silent, despite a criminal investigation. His life changes significantly, though, when he gets a new pair of glasses that make him look Jewish. He suddenly loses his job and realizes he is under heavy scrutiny from his Brooklyn neighbors. His search for new employment leads him to Gertrude (Laura Dern), a woman whose Jewish features kept him from hiring her at his previous firm. They fall madly in love, despite the contrast in their personalities: Gertrude is outspoken while Lawrence is more shadowy. Her physical features cause even more conflict with his neighbors and soon Lawrence must choose between standing up to them or finding a way to fit in, while grappling with his own bigotry and fears. (official distributor synopsis)
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Racism, prejudice and the difficult acceptance of one’s own identity, which can be a form of liberating salvation for a person. Looking at these aspects from the point of view of the injured party, the film seems to have too much, well, focus, perhaps reaching the level of its maker’s personality complex, without any sense of detachment. Not that there is a lack of clarity as to who is bad and who is good, but defending good always comes across better on the big screen than hatefully spreading evil (in whatever form). ___ Formalistically, the story is set in a colourful and, in places, even cartoonish world (see The Truman Show), which on the one hand helps the film to emphasize its message, but on the other hand it keeps its distance from reality and hinders the viewer in identifying with the characters. What can work perfectly in allegorical fiction (see, again, The Truman Show) doesn’t work so well in a story set in a real place and a specific period and dealing with very sensitive human issues. However, the film has such great acting and such a pleasant and surprising conclusion that I considered giving it four stars.
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Photo © Paramount Classics
