The Wasteland Reviewer

Poolman (2024) Written Review

Who is the next actor to make the big leap to becoming a director? So many great actors have made that change and someone like Chris Pine is an interesting choice. Pine has had an interesting career with a big splash in Star Trek. But in recent years you have seen him make some interesting decisions such as the rugged neo-western Hell or High Water or his charismatic and hilarious work in Dungeons & Dragons. But here we find Pine going in a significantly different direction with his new dark comedy, Poolman. 

What does Poolman focus on with his directorial effort? Pine obviously has a passion for films like Chinatown and The Big Lebowski. His passion for them leads him to wrap the two stories together to offer up a neo-noir with a bearded bum as its unexpected investigator. Think Lebowski with a mystery from Chinatown. Or at least our titular Poolman thinks the mystery is just like Chinatown. Pine’s passion manifests well with a great energy behind and in front of the camera. Passion can go a long way…but it is certainly not everything for the success of a film. 

How well does this morphed tale come together? “Coming together” is a stretch. One of the biggest issues with Poolman is the fact that the story is so messy. Sure, The Big Lebowski feels like it has no direction, but it has so many details that weave together so expertly. But the issue with Poolman is how wild and uneven everything is. The film swings wild with strange and jarring interludes that take you out of the film. The film feels more like a string of crazy sketches that leans on heavy expositional dialogue to fill in the gaps. There is an actual mystery in this film, but it comes off so perfunctory and flat by the time this muddled narrative arrives at the end of the film and well…needs to end.

What does the cast do in making this an entertaining experience? They are honestly one of the main reasons why this film is reasonably watchable. Pine himself is charismatic and is certainly having a blast with this aloof and scattered pool man obsessed with Erin Brockovich and getting the bus schedule in LA perfect. Danny DeVito and Annette Bening are a couple of talented veterans who make for strong supporting anchors to keep the film going. Jennifer Jason Leigh has some solid chemistry with our shaggy protagonist and DeWanda Wise makes for a solid femme fatale. Stephen Tobolowsky makes for a memorable supporting player in this zany film full of crazy characters. 

Is the cast of Pine’s passion for this film enough? The film is admittingly quite watchable with its strange and wild energy. But it is hard to find real meaning or substance in such a shallow retread of better neo-noirs. The laughs are more spread out than you would like. The mystery does not have a real satisfying conclusion. The narrative is scattered and mended together haphazardly. In the end, the Poolman makes for a more curious watch than something that will truly resonate with you.