The Abridged Script
FADE IN:
INT. FANCY RESTAURANT
WILL SMITH munches his way through the opening credits and is suddenly approached by JAMIE PRESSLY.
MARGOT ROBBIE
What? No no, I’m a completely different actress, despite looking and sounding exactly like Joy Turner.
WILL SMITH
Well you need to scoot before my co-star Kristen Stewart gets here.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Uh, yeah, she dropped out so I’m taking her place.
WILL SMITH
Really? Phew! Bullet dodged.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Let’s say we continue this conversation in your hotel room with my tongue down your throat.
WILL SMITH
Sold!
WILL and MARGOT start making out when a GUY WITH A GUN bursts in and unconvincingly threatens to shoot WILL.
WILL SMITH
You’re not going to shoot me. I knew this was all a setup because I am a master con-man. Margot, you were terrible. In A Haunted House 2, I mean.
MARGOT ROBBIE
I’M NOT HER!!!
MARGOT goes looking for another RUBE to con when she realizes she is being stalked by WILL.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Please show me how to be a master thief like you.
WILL SMITH
No.
(pause)
Okay. I will flirt with you while teaching you how to steal shit out of other people’s pockets by stealing all of YOUR shit out of your pockets.
MARGOT ROBBIE
(swoons!)
You’re so charming! And that 3 minute lesson was all it took for me to become a master thief. Now let me into your club of organized thiefdom.
WILL SMITH
No.
(pause)
Oh alright.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Wonderful! So what exactly is this movie about again? The trailers weren't really, you know, FOCUSed.
WILL SMITH
Well I'm a con artist and you're my protege and we're going to steal something or other.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Would it by chance be a coherent plot?
WILL SMITH
Doubt it. To Louisiana!
EXT. NEW ORLEANS
WILL introduces MARGOT to his crew.
BRENNAN BROWN
I’m the exposition guy.
ADRIAN MARTINEZ
I’m the overweight comic relief.
WILL SMITH
And those are the only two members of my vast organization of underlings you need to know. Now go out there and rob a bunch of tourists in plain view of anyone with working eyeballs.
WILL’s crew works the crowd and somehow NO ONE notices all of the wallets and purses being tossed through the air.
MARGOT proves herself to be the best of the bunch by effortlessly stealing all of the shit right out of everyone’s colons without them knowing.
WILL SMITH
Well done Margot, you have earned the right to learn crucial backstory about me. You see, my dad and grandpa were also con artists, but one day they got caught so my dad shot my grandpa in order to prove they weren’t a team.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Surely that story won’t have any relevance to the film’s climax.
WILL SMITH
None whatsoever.
(wink!)
Now if you excuse me I’m going to turn down your sexual advances to go sleep in my bed alone where absolutely no sex will be had.
MARGOT ROBBIE
YOU WHAT?! But I’m an attractive young woman and I’m clearly staring at you with “fuck me” eyes! There’s no excuse why we aren’t gnawing each other’s underwear off right now.
WILL SMITH
As I have stated publicly a million times, Hollywood believes audiences just aren’t ready to see this type of romance on screen. Sorry Margot, your boobs must go unfondled.
MARGOT ROBBIE
While you were talking I stole your penis out of your pants and hid it inside my vagina.
THE SOUTH
(explodes!)
INT. THE WILL OF THIEF STREET
WILL and his literal ARMY OF THIEVES have robbed half of the country blind and sold the hot merchandise to the other half.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Oooh! A pretty yet strikingly tacky necklace! Can I keep it?
WILL SMITH
No, we must fence everything we steal. This is just one of the many con artist rules I will establish and then undoubtedly break.
BRENNAN BROWN
Will, we made over a million dollars which I have placed in this bag. We have all agreed to leave it with you despite the fact the movie has gone suspiciously out of its way to, ahem, FOCUS on your apparent gambling problem. Assure me you will protect this money.
WILL SMITH
I will treat this money as if it were one of my own children.
BRENNAN BROWN
Not helping, Will.
INT. FOOTBALL GAME
WILL and MARGOT are hanging out in the V.I.P. lounge.
MARGOT ROBBIE
I actually don’t know anything about football, I just came here with you because we’re dating.
WILL SMITH
Really? Well it’s a good thing you don’t like football or didn’t blow off my invitation to come here or else I'd be in pretty deep shit in the next 10 minutes.
MARGOT ROBBIE
What?
WILL SMITH
Oh nothing. Hey, hows about we make a friendly wager. I bet you a dollar the dress is white and gold.
MARGOT ROBBIE
Ha! It’s blue and black! I win!
(fist pump!)
BD WONG
Greetings, I am an eccentric millionaire businessman and I couldn’t help but overhear your innocent gambling game. I bet Will ten thousand dollars he still thinks turning down Django Unchained was a good idea.
WILL SMITH
Argh! You win! I bet you the million dollars my thief army just made that Alfonso Ribeiro didn’t win Dancing With The Stars just because of me.
BD WONG
You lose! Give it up, Will! You’re a loser!
MARGOT ROBBIE
He’s right Will! You’ve clearly gone off the rails!
WILL SMITH
No! Double or nothing! I bet two million dollars that BD can pick the number of any football player on the field and that Margot can guess that number!
BD WONG
Really? That’s insane. What’s stopping me from just lying if she guesses right?
WILL SMITH
Uh, absolutely nothing?
BD WONG
Well... she did! I picked 55! That’s the jersey Will’s friend Adrian Martinez is wearing and the number I've been conveniently seeing all day! Here, take my money and go you crazy kids you!
MARGOT ROBBIE
Wait, so Will, this was all just an elaborate setup and you didn’t clue me in?
WILL SMITH
Yup.
MARGOT ROBBIE
But there were literally, like, a MILLION different ways this entire operation could have blown up in your smirking face!
WILL SMITH
I’m hoping my Will Smith charm will prevent most people from realizing that.
But it DOESN’T.
MARGOT ROBBIE
That was so exciting! So what’s our next big score? Are we going to steal back some gold bricks from Edward Norton? Or rob Andy Garcia’s casino? Oh oh, or take Alan Alda’s golden car maybe? I can’t wait! We’re going to make such a great team!
WILL SMITH
Actually, we’re done. I just needed you to help me con BD. It was just business. Sex filled business.
MARGOT ROBBIE
But your constipated expression says you actually care about me!
WILL SMITH
Sorry, Margot. Here’s a bunch of money for all your hard work. And thanks for all the hot sex!
(leaves)
END
FADE IN:
EXT. BUENOS AIRES - 3 YEARS LATER
FOCUS 2: FOCUS HARDER immediately begins playing.
WILL meets with RACE CAR OWNER GUY RODRIGO SANTORO.
RODRIGO SANTORO
Mr. Smith, my race car runs on a special MacGuffin formula that my engineers assure me will win, but I am kind of a prick so I want you to pretend to be a disgruntled employee and sell a fake formula to my rival Robert Taylor in exchange for 1 million dollars.
WILL SMITH
This seems like a job you could have hired any shlub with half a brain to do for a lot less, but fine I’ll take your money.
GERALD MCRANEY
I’m Rodrigo’s angry henchman and I don’t like you or your stupid smug hip-hop face.
WILL SMITH
Wait, so are you guys actually going to be my villains? Because the movie is sorely lacking any threatening antagonists or sense of danger right now.
GERALD MCRANEY
(scowl)
WILL SMITH
I suppose that’ll have to do.
INT. PARTY
WILL SMITH
So, all I have to do is pretend to be drunk and make a scene with Rodrigo in front of Robert Taylor and the con will be on, just so long as something doesn’t happen that makes me lose... FOCUS.
MARGOT ROBBIE
(appears)
WILL SMITH
FUCK! Everything’s blurry!
MARGOT ROBBIE
That’s right Will, I just so happen to be in Buenos Aires by sheer coincidence and I’m dating Rodrigo, also by sheer coincidence. Jealous?
WILL SMITH
As your mentor and former lover I should be suspicious as hell about this, but your body is kind of amazing so
(drops several dozen IQ points)
MARGOT ROBBIE
Now Rodrigo and I are going to get married and have lots of babies. Small-eared babies who have actual talent. I’m so over you, Will.
WILL SMITH
Remember that stolen necklace you wanted? Well I saved it just for you.
MARGOT ROBBIE
You saved it knowing full well you were going to dump me after the New Orleans job AND without knowing that you’d ever actually see me again?
WILL SMITH
Yes? I mean that sounds totally legit, doesn't it?
MARGOT ROBBIE
Well consider me romanced! Let’s run away together!
WILL SMITH
Yes! You won’t regret this sweetheart! I know I fucked up before but I promise you I’ll never ohshityou’rejustkidding.
MARGOT ROBBIE
HA! IN YO FACE! Now YOU know what it feels like to have your emotions played with! Later sucka!
(pause)
On second thought let’s bump uglies!
They DO!
Meanwhile WILL not only sells RODRIGO’s MACGUFFIN FORMULA to ROBERT TAYLOR, but he also sells it to EVERY OTHER RACING TEAM IN EXISTENCE, netting him 27 MILLION EUROS.
WILL SMITH
Now I just have to skip town with Margot and the money before Rodrigo gets wise.
But THE MOVIE is suddenly interrupted by a SHORT FILM about a day in the life of a COMMON HENCHMAN which wrecks THE SHIT out of WILL and MARGOT’s car.
HENCHMAN
Mr. Smith, my boss Rodrigo would like to see you. Also we should probably exchange insurance information.
WILL SMITH
How did you know exactly where and when we were leaving in order to crash into us like that? And what in the hell made you think you wouldn’t have killed us dead with that stunt?
HENCHMAN
Easy, because [REDACTED]
INT. RODRIGO’S INTERROGATION ROOM
WILL and MARGOT are tied up.
RODRIGO SANTORO
Will, I am very cross with you. Not only did you give Robert Taylor the real formula but you somehow broke through my super duper top secret security to get it. Clearly you have an inside man. Tell me who it is or I’ll pinch Margot’s nose right off her face.
WILL SMITH
Really? That's the most evil thing you could do? Why not threaten to shave her head while you're at it?
MARGOT ROBBIE
(through duct tape)
KINDOFSUFFOCATINGOVERHERE!!!!!
RODRIGO SANTORO
Talk, Will! Talk I say!
WILL SMITH
No.
(pause)
Okay okay, it was Margot. When I realized she was your girlfriend I used her by giving her a tacky necklace with a hacking microchip in it, so let her go.
RODRIGO SANTORO
What the hell are you talking about? Margot’s not my girlfriend. I don’t even know that skank!
WILL SMITH
...HUH?!
MARGOT ROBBIE
Err, yeah, I kinda just let you THINK we were together in order to seduce you and get revenge for dumping me. Twist?
WILL SMITH
So we’re both about to die because you wanted to trick me into winning you back even though I would have probably dragged myself across broken glass to be with you?
MARGOT ROBBIE
Whoops?
RODRIGO SANTORO
So Will, tell me who your REAL contact was or I will... probably just keep prancing around and yelling until the credits roll. Seriously. A kid who just visited Disneyland is more dangerous than I am.
WILL SMITH
No Rodrigo, I won’t tell you!
(pause)
Okay the truth is a year ago I got a call from my deadbeat dad and
(is shot!)
GERALD MCRANEY
Sorry Will, but I shot you because I couldn’t put up with anymore of your charming smooth talking bullshit. Amirite, folks?
RODRIGO SANTORO
Oh my God! Will’s actually shot and bleeding all over the place! I had better flee before the authorities arrive! I’ll also leave Will’s bags filled with 27 million Euros because I am suddenly allergic to money as well as intelligence!
(flees!)
MARGOT ROBBIE
(sobbing)
Noooo! Damn you Gerald! You just Zimmerman’d my boyfriend!
GERALD MCRANEY
Whoawhoawhoa-- Will didn’t tell you? We’re working together. Shooting him through the chest with a real gun was somehow part of his plan, now help me while I use this medieval plunger to revive him.
WILL SMITH
Thanks a lot dad!
GERALD MCRANEY
Yes, I’m Will’s father. Put my name in Google Image Search, you will see the family resemblance. Now that I’ve saved my son’s life after nearly killing him, I will show him how sorry I am for getting him into a life of crime and being a terrible father by robbing him of his 27 million Euros. I guess parents really DON’T understand!
(escapes!)
WILL and MARGOT limp towards a nearby hospital.
WILL SMITH
Wait, so were you really in Buenos Aires by pure chance and not because you tracked me down?
MARGOT ROBBIE
Seems so.
WILL SMITH
And you JUST so happened to be trying to grift the same guy I was trying to grift?
MARGOT ROBBIE
Apparently.
WILL SMITH
And we’ve basically spent the entire third act trapped in a quirky romantic comedy instead of a smart caper film?
MARGOT ROBBIE
Indeed.
WILL SMITH
Holy shit do I suck at decision making. For a movie called Focus we sure did lack a hell of a lot of it.
MARGOT ROBBIE
So Will, what's our next big con job going to be?
WILL SMITH
Marvel Studios has hired me to torpedo one of DC Comics' next big tentpoles. You in?
MARGOT ROBBIE
(produces large mallet)
You betcha Puddin'!
END