Cast: William H. Macy, Laura Dern, David Paymer, Meat Loaf Aday, Kay Hawtrey, Michael Copeman
Director: Neal Slavin
Producers: Robert A. Miller, Neal Slavin
Screenplay: Kendrew Lascelles, based on the novel by Arthur Miller
Cinematography: Juan Ruiz Anchía
Music: Mark Adler
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Classics
There's no denying that the way we view movies was altered by the events of September 11, 2001. We see things we might not have previously noticed, sometimes uncovering aspects even the filmmakers might have been unaware of. Of course, at this point, we're still seeing motion pictures that were conceived and produced in the pre-attack world, when the World Trade Center towers stood tall and proud. So it's a little disconcerting to watch something as timely and eerily prescient as Neal Slavin's Focus, which touches on many current "hot button" issues. In truth, Focus has a long history. The film is based on a 1945 novel by playwright Arthur Miller - a fact that illustrates the sad truth that, no matter how hatred and bigotry metamorphose, they remain constants of the human experience - dark, shadowy companions during our sojourn in this life.
There's a lot going on in Focus and it's to first-time director Slavin's credit that he captures the film's themes without losing the narrative thread. Although the movie is presented as a period piece (taking place towards the end of World War II), it's really more of a political allegory than anything else, since the events which transpire during the course of the story take place in a world that echoes, but does not match, reality. Focus isn't subtle in the way it addresses its subject matter, but that doesn't prevent it from being thought-provoking and challenging.
Lawrence Newman (William H. Macy) lives in a quiet, middle-class neighborhood with his mother (Kay Hawtrey). Lawrence is a bit of a recluse. He'll politely greet his neighbors if he sees them on the street, but he rarely goes out of his way to start a conversation. His next-door neighbor, Fred (Meat Loaf Aday), is wary of Lawrence, failing to understand why an upstanding Protestant man avoids coming to a series of "neighborhood meetings" designed to discuss what to do about the unwanted presence of a local Jewish shopkeeper, Finkelstein (David Paymer). Then, at the insistence of his employer, Lawrence gets spectacles, and suddenly people begin to notice that he looks Jewish. When he meets, then marries, Gertrude (Laura Dern), suspicions deepen because, like Lawrence, Gertrude "looks" Jewish. Suddenly, these two Protestants have been blacklisted as Jews and are subject to the same persecution being visited upon Finkelstein.
Focus is an examination of the pervasive and uncompromising nature of hatred. The central irony is, of course, that neither of the main characters is a member of the race being singled out for vilification. However, because of this, Slavin is able to show how truly irrational any form of group-specific hatred is. Some will argue, I'm sure, that Focus is too heavy-handed and obvious in its presentation of anti-Semitism and that America, as a country, has advanced in the past 55 years. If that's the case, how can we explain the murders of gay boys, the events depicted in Boys Don't Cry, and the recent attack on Arab Americans?
Focus also makes a statement about the fear of involvement. There are people who take action and people who stay hidden behind a cloak of anonymity. When the movie begins, Lawrence is among the latter, believing the creed "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". One night, he is awakened by a commotion outside. Peering through the slats in his blinds, he watches as one of his neighbors attacks and rapes a girl from outside of the community. Unwilling to become involved, Lawrence returns to bed. Little does he realize that it's only a matter of time before he becomes an outsider and everyone in the neighborhood turns a blind eye to his plight.
A secondary theme in Focus, and perhaps one of more immediate interest, is that of the resolve to stand firm in the face of terrorist threats. As events unfold, both Lawrence and Finkelstein grow increasingly isolated, and it becomes apparent that they are likely to be the target of attacks by the so-called "Union Crusaders". One option that is repeatedly suggested to them is that they move away, but they refuse to budge. This is their home and fear will not drive them from it. They stand resolute, regardless of how ugly circumstances become.
At times, Focus has the rhythm of a play, and there are instances in which the dialogue comes across as stilted. Perhaps its the presence of William H. Macy, the consummate character actor who is a favorite of David Mamet, but there were times when the film reminded me of something Mamet might write for the stage. Macy does an excellent job of humanizing Lawrence, even on those occasions when he is asked to speak forced and unnatural lines. Likewise, Laura Dern is effective as Gertrude. Singer-turned-actor Meat Loaf is chilling as the seemingly good-natured Fred, whose jolly exterior is no more than a thin cloak over a simmering anti-Semitism. And David Paymer plays Finkelstein not as a victim, but as a pragmatic stalwart.
Few things, when taken to extremes, have positive results. Focus shows what can happen when patriotism and religious zeal turn sour. Hatred has no justification, but it always seeks an excuse, and, in the reactionary politics and misguided advocacy of a close-minded preacher, it finds one. Focus explores how acts of hatred begin small, then snowball out of control. Slavin's film is not without its faults, but, especially in today's climate, it's a fascinating motion picture, and its diverse-yet-interrelated subject matter can provide fodder for lengthy post-movie discussions.
© 2001 James Berardinelli