[.ca] Focus (Widescreen)

Just as true today as it was then...:
...especially of people who purport to be intelligent and enlightened "humanitarians", yet are such vicious anti-semites who would love nothing more than to see another more complete Holocaust--or the next best thing: Israel pushed into the sea. Don't believe me? Take a few social science classes at any so-called respectable college and you will surely see them pop out of the woodwork--professors and students alike--with their Jewish conspiracy theories and anti-Israel crap.

Great Movie - Applicable to Other Groups As Well:
As an effeminite heterosexual man, I can totally relate to this movie. Just as the main character learns all there is to know about anti-Semitism because he "looks Jewish", many of us are learning a lot about homophobia today. Excellent film, with many helpful parrallels for understanding current day discrimination of all kinds.

FoKus:
Based on an Arthur Miller book of the same name, this brilliant period place set in New York while much of the country is at war centers around a Presbyterian who, when he puts on glasses, both looks Jewish and sees the startling horror of a racist America beset with job discrimination, virulent anti-black and anti-Semitic sentiment, and all around negative energy. Wonderful performance from William Macy and an ever-enchanting Laura Dern as the leads. Both think each other are Jewish. Miller, ex-husband of Marilyn Monroe, who is still alive as of 2004, was considered the dean of American naturalism before drama went off in another direction. Here he exploits his beautiful story sense to focus our horror on the historical tragedy of political factions who think they can fix the world by broadly identifying the particular group of others who are threatening it, thus giving themselves a sense of identity organized by murderous hatred no less than would-be righteous indignation. The leads mistake each other for Jewish even as they know they are not but the world, throwing a noose of love around their attempts to escape this case of mistaken identity, tightening it as they try to wriggle free. The depiction of the Union Crusaders, a Rear Window-like opening scene of the protagonist watching a rape of Puerto Rican woman, and the distasteful factions of American nationalists and globally gathering totalitarianism as it existed over sixty years ago are convincingly portrayed in this touching and revelatory love story.

Fascinating movie; overdone moral:
This movie gives a good message about anti-semitism in American then and now, and its actors are well picked and do their job well. This is especially true for William H. Macy, who I agree whole-heartedly is a wonderful but underrated actor. In this role he gives the character depth and feeling. Surprisingly, Meatloaf turns in a good role as well as Macy's racist and conniving neighbor. However, I have to say this movie did tend to drag. This is especially true when they introduced the romance with Laura Dern's character. Things really slow down and it almost feels like they're never going to develop or conclude themselves. It seemed like the same things were happening over and over again, and at some points in the movie I wondered just how long it was before the conclusion was going to finally come. The ending of the movie, while satisfactory and happy, almost feels rather rushed. So the police are involved - who's to say the police aren't anti-semitic as well? And isn't it a possibility that the corrupt officials sway the cops to their side? Overall, I'd call it a worthy rental, but if you want to see a film about anti-semitism in America I'd suggest you try "A Gentlemen's Agreement" with Gregory Peck. It was made around the time period "Focus" is set, and it stas Gregory Peck who intentionally pretends to be Jewish to see what anti-semitism is like. It has almost all the events this movie had, including the restricted hotel scene.

Excellent!:
William Macy is brilliant again! He portrays a role of a decent man caught up in big time trouble, trouble created by ignorance and misunderstanding. In this post World War Two time, Macy's character suffers through anti-Jew feelings in his neighborhood. It is interesting how he deals with such discrimmination and how he attempts to live his life in a meaningful way. "Meatloaf" plays a frightening but effective bigot..and supporting actress Laura Dern does a great job too. This is a "must see".