Focus (2001)

“They are a gang of devils and they want this country! ” – Finkelstein

Number of Times Seen – 1 (5 Aug 2019)

Brief Synopsis – On the Homefront during World War II, a man is incorrectly suspected of being a Jew by his neighbors and is persecuted by them just because of the way he looks.

My Take on it – This is a film that I came across by accident recently and immediately was taken in by the premise.

The idea that a film can tell a story like this is a very subtle way which helps the story feel even more poignant because this was exactly the way that things were done back then.

The actions taken by people back then were mostly done in hushed voices and by use of much euphemisms instead of outright stating what it was that they wanted or felt they needed.

This is a little known work by Artur Miller and surprisingly, the story still remains relevant even after more than 70 years when it comes to the way people look at racial and religious tolerance.

They do a wonderful job showing how people acted during those days when there as much fear due to the war going on overseas and that added to the way that people acted both at home and in public.

The cast of this film is superb and William H. Macy, Laura Dern, Meat Loaf and David Paymer all give performances that help us understand the feelings of these character who were persecuted by their neighbors or who the ones that perpetrated these acts.

Bottom Line – Very intriguing look at the way that people acted even in public during the 1940’s. Miller wrote a great story that still feels relevant even after 70+ years. The cast is superb with Macy, Dern, Meat Loaf and Paymer all giving great performances that make us feel for the way that these characters are all treated. The story is told in a subtle way which actually helps make it feel even more poignant in what it is trying to say and do. This actually helps emphasize the way that these actions were taken in hushed voices in public and through euphemisms instead of completely out in the open. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Neal Slavin claimed to have wanted to make this film since college. (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)