Helmed by director duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (“Crazy Stupid Love,” 2011), “Focus” stars Will Smith (“Hancock,” 2008) as Nicky, a conman who bumps into Jess (Margot Robbie; “The Wolf of Wall Street,” 2013) and takes her in as an apprentice. Three years after Nicky abruptly ditches Jess, their paths cross again, this time on opposing sides.

Casting Smith as the lead in “Focus” may have been the filmmakers’ best decision, as his charm carries the entire movie. His performance as the slick conman hits the nail on the head, equal parts suave and vulnerable. Upping the ante of the smooth-talking skills he showed us in “Hitch” (2005), the “I Am Legend” star puts his best foot forward and delivers a knockout turn throughout the film’s runtime.

The problems start here, unfortunately; the narrative depends heavily on Smith to sail what clearly feels like an ineffectively offset ship-to-shore. Ficarra and Requa, in their effort to go all-in on the Stylish Crime Dramedy aesthetic, somehow contradict the film’s own tagline and lose focus on what is otherwise its crucial component: the Nicky-Jess romance. The two leads of “Focus” had both the charm and the firebrand chemistry to deliver, but the characters feel a bit emotionally distant for the viewer.

A possible argument for this narrative decision could be that the lack of emotional connection between grifters is a feature, not a bug—which is an understandable take. Here’s the counterpoint: Doug Liman’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” (2005) is another example of two protagonists double-crossing each other at every turn, yet its makers keep the chemistry between its leads as consistently electric as it was throughout its runtime.

Had the rest of the movie been suitably mediocre, the flawed narrative decision made by the writer-director duo would have been just one of its many pitfalls. Here’s the thing, though: there is a lot that “Focus” does right through its 104-minute runtime. The makers leave no stone unturned to ensure you’re watching a drop-dead gorgeous picture, thanks in no small part to cinematographer Xavier Grobet’s (“I Love You Philip Morris,” 2009) assured, confident framing and the all-around glossy production design.

It’s not just technical filmcraft either; the cold open lays groundwork for a potentially electric time at the movies. An unnamed henchman preps himself thoroughly—a neck-support collar, a helmet, the works—to drive his car with the sole aim of crashing into an oncoming vehicle. The cars crash successfully (?), and the henchman dusts himself off, gets out, and walks over to aim the gun right at the driver and their associate. This opening scene holds so much promise that it feels almost cruel to have the rest of the film live up to it.

A very sophisticated and nuanced turn from Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” 2013) also makes a valiant effort here, despite, rather than because of, the tepid storytelling. There’s an impressive supporting cast, too; Rodrigo Santoro (“300,” 2006) plays to the gallery as the suave, rich villain, and Gerald McRaney (“J. Edgar,” 2011), whose steely performance keeps you guessing till the end. You’ll also find B. D. Wong (“Jurassic Park,” 1993) and comedic character actor Adrian Martinez (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” 2013) putting their best foot forward in their respective roles.

There’s a good movie hidden somewhere in “Focus.” On paper, it’s got it all—two great-looking leads in a stylishly filmed story across picturesque locations, promising twists galore through what’s essentially a crisp runtime. With little to emotionally hold onto, however, it all never really takes off. It’s an earnest misfire of a film that could go either way with you, should you choose to watch it. The great thing is, if you’re still reading this review, you have enough info to prep yourself.