Pat Patterson

Focus -- In the waning months of World War II, a man and his wife are mistakenly identified as Jews by their anti-Semitic Brooklyn neighbors. Suddenly the victims of religious and racial persecution, they find themselves aligned with a local Jewish immigrant in a struggle for dignity and survival.

Three months after Allen (Pierce Brosnan) and Grace's (Susan Sarandon) son dies, Rose (Carey Mulligan) shows up on their doorstep pregnant with his child. At first her arrival stirs up their emotions and threatens to tear the family further apart, but as time passes, she may just be the very thing that brings them back together.

The story of Allen and Grace Brewer, a couple grieving after the death of their older son Bennett in a car crash. When a woman, Rose, contacts them and reveals she is pregnant with Bennett's child, the Brewers invite her to stay in their home. At first, Rose's presence threatens to tear the family even further apart, but her interaction with each of the Brewers proves to be the very thing that brings them back together.

Set in New York during the height of World War II, Focus recounts the unraveling of an American community when the identity of a man (William H. Macy) and his wife (Laura Dern) are mistaken. Slowly ostracized at home and work, they learn the value of self and solidarity as they struggle to maintain dignity and find happiness. Focus marks the directorial debut of award-winning photographer Neal Slavin, and is adapted by Kendrew Lascelles from the Arthur Miller novel of the same name. The film stars William H. Macy, Laura Dern, David Paymer and Meat Loaf Aday. (English)