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Pool, The

EMAILPRINTVitagraph Films

Pool, The reviews
77
9.0 User Score:

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.

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...

100

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.

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100

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.

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91

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.

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90

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.

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90

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.

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88

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.

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83

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

It's a funny, sweet-natured humanist character piece.

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80

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,

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75

San Francisco Chronicle Walter Addiego

Except for Patekar, the main actors are nonprofessionals, which works nicely here.

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75

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.

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75

New York Post V.A. Musetto

A charming and enjoyable movie.

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75

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.

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70

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

In its leisurely, exceedingly subtle way, The Pool charts Venkatesh's gradual awakening to the larger world.

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70

Washington Post Ann Hornaday

The result is a vivid portrait, not just of one unforgettable young man but also of a country in transition.

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70

Variety Robert Koehler

Smith's utterly natural filmmaking there is impressive.

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70

Village Voice Nick Pinkerton

This heightened consciousness of objects and obligations ballasts the drama-light, class-conscious fable with tactile life.

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60

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.

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58

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.

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40

New York Daily News Joe Neumaier

Smith ("American Movie") sees the poetry in everyday people, and lets his rambling story find its own rhythm.

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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.

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