FOCUS
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: In the late years of World War II a man sees anti-Semitic influences moving into his neighborhood but wants to remain neutral. As neutrality become more and more difficult he struggles with his conscience. Neil Slavin directs this adaptation of a novel by Arthur Miller. Rating: 7 (0 to 10), +2 (-4 to +4)
FOCUS is a story of an anti-Semitic movement during the years of World War II, but it does not take place in Europe, but in the US. Kendrew Lascelles wrote the film based on Arthur Miller's 1945 novel FOCUS. It is the story of Fascism creeping into a middle- class neighborhood.
Lawrence Newman (played by William H. Macy) lives with his mother. He works in a prosperous Manhattan company interviewing new applicants. He interviews people applying for jobs and generally makes sure the company hires only the "right type," good gentiles. One of the people he turns down is non-Jewish Gertrude Hart (Laura Dern) who nonetheless looks too Jewish to be put in a visible position.
Lawrence happens to witnesses a tough-guy neighbor beat up a woman. But he does not want to make trouble in the neighborhood by going to the police. Another neighbor Fred (the intimidating Meat Loaf Aday) seems to be on a personal campaign to chase out of the neighborhood the corner news dealer, a Jew (David Paymer), to move out of the neighborhood. When Lawrence gets new glasses, glasses that accidentally make him look Jewish; suddenly he gets a new view of his street and especially neighbor Fred who is inviting "Americanist" organizers into the neighborhood. Lawrence tries desperately to hold onto his neutrality in the Jew-baiting in spite of the dictates of his conscience.
For his first feature film commercial producer Neal Slavin has chosen a particularly timely theme, that of a slow but insidious spreading prejudice and fascism. The targeting of ethnic groups for particular hatreds is especially timely. Particularly chilling is that Fred so anxious to introduce the same fascism that was currently engulfing Europe.
Slavin symbolizes the cycle of evil with the image of merry-go- round accompanied by ominous music. The film's one less than subtle touch is the big billboard at the end of the infiltrated street proclaiming "There's no way like the American way."
It is interesting that two of Arthur Miller's novels were adapted at the same time. Like FOCUS, Amos Gitai's EDEN also was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival. Both are about people caught up in evil circumstances and having to take a stand. However, FOCUS is by far the better of the two. I rate it a 7 on the 0 to 10 scale and a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
markrleeper@yahoo.com
Copyright 2001 Mark R. Leeper
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