August 22, 2025
FILM: POOLS
DIRECTED BY: SAM HAYES
STARRING: ODESSA A’ZION, MICHAEL VLAMIS, ARIEL WINTER
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Pools is a film that owes much to the late great John Hughes. It’s set in the northern Chicago suburbs and features young people going through young people struggles that ultimately come of age with newfound life directions. Yes, this could be the basis for a lot of movies but Hughes had a flair for balancing the hardships of being young with some clever comedy that has been relatable for generations.
The feature debut from Sam Hayes takes place in Lake Forest, Illinois – one of the ritziest suburbs outside of Chicago. There are mansions everywhere and a university in the middle of it. (I once worked at another university in the same town that sadly no longer exists.) When we first meet Kennedy, played by Odessa A’Zion, she is sitting at the bottom of a pool in deep thought. She calls out to her father who we soon find out has passed away. Kennedy is still grieving his death while attending a summer session at Lake Forest University. The problem is that she has no motivation to attend classes. The summer is also very hot and so she grabs a group of fellow students to spend an evening jumping into the pools found at the rich homes nearby. Trust me, these places are mansions in every sense of the word.
This first part of the film feels like an out of control teen comedy as the students demonstrate no sense of morality by essentially wreaking havoc on these properties. They dance, drink, and do drugs. They’re not thinking too far into the future. It’s all about the moment for them. A couple from one of the homes is out of town due to a broken air conditioning unit. Kennedy finds a key and, well, they make themselves at home. (Remember a similar scene in the Oscar-winning Parasite?) During much of this sequence it almost feels as if nothing will redeem the characters – or the plot for that matter.
However, as night turns to day we begin to see who these characters really are. Hayes’s script explores each of their emotional cores, their wants, and needs. The silliness is replaced by some solid writing which rightfully takes us away from the crazy hijinks we’ve just experienced. Some might question such a shift in tone but it’s what the film really needs to make it, along with the characters, mature. It becomes a very satisfying exploration of people at crossroads in their lives and making decisions to grow up.
Added to this is a terrific cast led by A’Zion. She is in constant motion for much of the first half of the film. Her character’s behavior is reckless and A’Zion nails it. One aspect of her performance that is a bit trying though is her vocal delivery which often comes across as mumbling making it hard to understand some of her dialogue. However, the arc of her character allows us to see growth to a point where Kennedy is truly able to fully express herself, as does A-Zion.
There are other recognizable faces in the cast including Ariel Winter (Modern Family), Mason Gooding (Love, Victor), Suzanne Cryer (Silicon Valley), Tyler Alvarez (American Vandal) and Chicago native Michael Vlamis (Rozwell, New Mexico.) They’re all very good in their roles and while at first come across as potential stereotypes each provide some solid depth to their portrayals. Vlamis, in particular, is a standout as Michael, the hot air conditioning repair man who is having his own struggles while dealing with a rich Lake Forest couple. He’s got some very amusing initial scenes but, like the others, masters the deeper aspects of his character. His later scenes with A’Zion are truly touching and well-played.
Also of note here is the cinematography which ventures from a heavy use of almost comical zooms to some very nicely shot underwater scenes. Hayes also knows when to slow the camera movements and fast-paced editing down to allow some of the more intimate scenes to play out emotionally.
Viewers will be disappointed if they believe the whole film is going to stay in the high energy, out of control lane. Yes, the film harkens back to the goofiness found in some 80s teen films, including romance, techno pop, and a montage to boot. However, the assured direction by Hayes, the strong performances, the use of some fantastic settings, and a script that reaches some nice heights, makes this is a film that deserves to be seen and enjoyed.
Pools opens at the Music Box Theater in Chicago today. It will then have runs in New York and L.A. before a nationwide expansion on September 5th.
FILM: POOLS
DIRECTED BY: SAM HAYES
STARRING: ODESSA A’ZION, MICHAEL VLAMIS, ARIEL WINTER
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Pools is a film that owes much to the late great John Hughes. It’s set in the northern Chicago suburbs and features young people going through young people struggles that ultimately come of age with newfound life directions. Yes, this could be the basis for a lot of movies but Hughes had a flair for balancing the hardships of being young with some clever comedy that has been relatable for generations.
The feature debut from Sam Hayes takes place in Lake Forest, Illinois – one of the ritziest suburbs outside of Chicago. There are mansions everywhere and a university in the middle of it. (I once worked at another university in the same town that sadly no longer exists.) When we first meet Kennedy, played by Odessa A’Zion, she is sitting at the bottom of a pool in deep thought. She calls out to her father who we soon find out has passed away. Kennedy is still grieving his death while attending a summer session at Lake Forest University. The problem is that she has no motivation to attend classes. The summer is also very hot and so she grabs a group of fellow students to spend an evening jumping into the pools found at the rich homes nearby. Trust me, these places are mansions in every sense of the word.
This first part of the film feels like an out of control teen comedy as the students demonstrate no sense of morality by essentially wreaking havoc on these properties. They dance, drink, and do drugs. They’re not thinking too far into the future. It’s all about the moment for them. A couple from one of the homes is out of town due to a broken air conditioning unit. Kennedy finds a key and, well, they make themselves at home. (Remember a similar scene in the Oscar-winning Parasite?) During much of this sequence it almost feels as if nothing will redeem the characters – or the plot for that matter.
However, as night turns to day we begin to see who these characters really are. Hayes’s script explores each of their emotional cores, their wants, and needs. The silliness is replaced by some solid writing which rightfully takes us away from the crazy hijinks we’ve just experienced. Some might question such a shift in tone but it’s what the film really needs to make it, along with the characters, mature. It becomes a very satisfying exploration of people at crossroads in their lives and making decisions to grow up.
Added to this is a terrific cast led by A’Zion. She is in constant motion for much of the first half of the film. Her character’s behavior is reckless and A’Zion nails it. One aspect of her performance that is a bit trying though is her vocal delivery which often comes across as mumbling making it hard to understand some of her dialogue. However, the arc of her character allows us to see growth to a point where Kennedy is truly able to fully express herself, as does A-Zion.
There are other recognizable faces in the cast including Ariel Winter (Modern Family), Mason Gooding (Love, Victor), Suzanne Cryer (Silicon Valley), Tyler Alvarez (American Vandal) and Chicago native Michael Vlamis (Rozwell, New Mexico.) They’re all very good in their roles and while at first come across as potential stereotypes each provide some solid depth to their portrayals. Vlamis, in particular, is a standout as Michael, the hot air conditioning repair man who is having his own struggles while dealing with a rich Lake Forest couple. He’s got some very amusing initial scenes but, like the others, masters the deeper aspects of his character. His later scenes with A’Zion are truly touching and well-played.
Also of note here is the cinematography which ventures from a heavy use of almost comical zooms to some very nicely shot underwater scenes. Hayes also knows when to slow the camera movements and fast-paced editing down to allow some of the more intimate scenes to play out emotionally.
Viewers will be disappointed if they believe the whole film is going to stay in the high energy, out of control lane. Yes, the film harkens back to the goofiness found in some 80s teen films, including romance, techno pop, and a montage to boot. However, the assured direction by Hayes, the strong performances, the use of some fantastic settings, and a script that reaches some nice heights, makes this is a film that deserves to be seen and enjoyed.
Pools opens at the Music Box Theater in Chicago today. It will then have runs in New York and L.A. before a nationwide expansion on September 5th.