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Pool, The

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 19 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 1 votes
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Comedy | Drama
Written by:
Chris Smith
Randy Russell
Directed by: Chris Smith
Release Date:
Theatrical: September 3, 2008
Running Time: 98 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: Not Rated
Starring Jhangir Badshah, Venkatesh Chavan, and Nana Patekar
Impoverished Venkatesh dreams of swimming in the pool of a well-to-do family. When he becomes friendly with the servants of the wealthy household, frequent visits to his favorite swimming spot make him long for a better way of live.
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Home Movie The Yes Men
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
TV Guide Ken Fox
At the heart of this picturesque fable is a truism so shopworn it can barely stand repeating: It's better to give than to receive.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole
A miraculous, American-made Hindi film that is every bit as tranquil as the blue-green reservoir that serves as its abiding metaphor.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Smith transfers an Iowa-based short story by Randy Russell to India's western Goa region -- and works in Hindi, primarily with novice actors. The result is a story both authentically specific and profoundly global.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
In the manner of a Satyajit Ray film, The Pool avoids melodrama, the better to capture the texture of Venkatesh's vagabond life.
Read Full Review >The Hollywood Reporter Sheri Linden
Uplifting without a drop of sap, the tale of a boy's obsession with a glittering swimming pool and how it changes four lives offers numerous pleasures and one of the most satisfying and resonant conclusions to be seen in recent cinema.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Michael Hardy
Like Anderson, many directors claim to value local color, but few have gone as far, or achieved such impressive results, as has Chris Smith in The Pool.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
It's a funny, sweet-natured humanist character piece.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir
A lovely, warm, unforced film that gives you time to get to know its characters and isn't propelled by any artificial narrative conventions,
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego
Except for Patekar, the main actors are nonprofessionals, which works nicely here.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Stan Hall
In the end it may amount to little more than an exotic fable, but it is a particularly conscious, wise fable.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
It's a bit schematic and sweet-natured, perhaps to a fault, yet the faces linger. Smith and his mixture of actors and non-actors remind us that an act of generosity is all it takes to change a life.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
In its leisurely, exceedingly subtle way, The Pool charts Venkatesh's gradual awakening to the larger world.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Ann Hornaday
The result is a vivid portrait, not just of one unforgettable young man but also of a country in transition.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Nick Pinkerton
This heightened consciousness of objects and obligations ballasts the drama-light, class-conscious fable with tactile life.
Read Full Review >Film Threat Zack Haddad
This simple film can be quite a great diversion from our every day grind. The camera style, characters, and visual look are all quite impressive, while maintaining an easy accessibility for the audience's eyes. It is only too bad that the film feels so sluggish.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White
Pleasant viewing, but the unbalanced script and amateur performances keep it from being much more than a walk in the park.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Joe Neumaier
Smith ("American Movie") sees the poetry in everyday people, and lets his rambling story find its own rhythm.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
