Focus is Streaming on Netflix, Starring Will Smith & Margot Robbie

Will Smith is back on top…of the Netflix US movie chart. The actor, who in recent years saw his career take a dip thanks to his Oscars night outburst at Chris Rock back in 2022, has followed up his streaming success at Netflix with the hit sequel Bad Boys: Ride or Die with a chart-topping display from his 2015 crime thriller, Focus.

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, Focus stars Smith alongside the ever-popular Barbie star Margot Robbie, who appear as con-artist Nicky and amateur swindler Jess, respectively. Focus’ synopsis reads, “While Nicky teaches Jess the tricks of the trade, the pair become romantically involved; but, when Jess gets uncomfortably close, Nicky ends their relationship. Three years later, Nicky is in Buenos Aires working a very dangerous scheme when Jess — now an accomplished femme fatale — unexpectedly shows up. Her appearance throws Nicky for a loop at a time when he cannot afford to be off his game.”

On its release back in 2015, Focus was met with mixed reviews. Critics praised the chemistry between Smith and Robbie, as well as the “sleek” visual style of the film. However, the plot and execution of the story left a lot to be desired for many. It turned out to be one of those rare movies that critics and audiences both agree on, and Focus earned itself a 56% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and 53% on the Popcornmeter

Focus managed to also perform reasonably well at the box office, earning $158 million from its $50 million budget. Even though it was not a blockbuster hit, the film did enough to avoid becoming a box office dud, although it has since dwindled away into the obscurity of bargain bins and second-hand stores. Now its arrival on Netflix has boosted its profile once again, and landed an unexpected success for Smith and Robbie in the process.

Will Smith & Margot Robbie Have Crossed Paths Since Focus

Warner Bros. Pictures

Since Focus, Smith and Robbie have both had a lot of success. While Smith’s recent Oscars controversy saw his profile drop in the last couple of years, back in 2016 he suited up alongside Robbie for the comic book movie Suicide Squad. In the David Ayer movie, Smith played Deadshot, while Robbie cemented herself in the role of Harley Quinn. Although the film was not regarded as a masterpiece in any respect, it saw the actors take on some other big roles as a result.

Smith took on the impossible task of following Robin Williams as the genie in Disney’s live-action version of Aladdin, and stepped back into his old role of Mike Lowrey in the sequel Bad Boys for Life in 2020. He won his first Academy Award in 2022 at that fateful Oscars ceremony, for his portrayal of Richard Williams in the sports drama King Richard. He then returned to the Bad Boys franchise for a fifth time this year.

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Meanwhile, Margot Robbie’s career took a huge surge after her role in Focus. As well as her Suicide Squad appearance, she also played Harley Quinn in 2020’s Birds of Prey, and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. She earned herself an Oscar nomination for her role in I, Tonya, joined the ensemble cast of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and last year blew open the box office after taking on the title role in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Robbie has recently been announced as the lead of a new take on Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.