Plot: What’s it about?
Hugo (Alyssa Milano) is a pool cleaner, which may seem like an easy job, but before she even wakes up, her phone rings with an irate customer. While she is showering and getting dressed, even more calls pour in, including one from her mother, who is in trouble with her bookie again. Hugo heads to the pool supply store to pick up the day’s chemicals, when she finds her father (Malcolm McDowell) passed out in the back room. She wakes him up, informs him of the task she needs him to pull off, and then the two head out to pick up a water truck. You see, Hugo needs to fill someone’s pool by six thirty, but since there is a drought, it’s illegal to put water into an empty pool. But Hugo is still planning on filling that pool, and sends her father out in the water truck to siphon a pool’s worth of water from the nearby river. While he does that, Hugo has to clean and treat forty-four, maybe forty-five pools, and still be done in time to meet her father at six-thirty. Since her mom (Cathy Moriarty) needs some money to pay her bookie off, Hugo hires her for the day, as her assistant. As the day progresses, Hugo meets an insane director who killed an extra (Robert Downey, Jr.), a psycho man who wants his pool filled or else (Richard Lewis), and a wheelchair stricken man with Lou Gehrig disease (Patrick Dempsey).
This is one of those movies that didn’t get much press, so it kinda snuck up on me. When it was released on DVD, I decided to give it a chance, and I am very glad I did. While I am sure some of you will pass on general principle since it revolves around a pool cleaner, those who do give this a shot should be pleased. For the most part, the movie relies on comedy, but there is some drama thrown in, as well as some statements about relationships. The best way I can think of to summarize this movie is to call it quirky or perky, but that doesn’t do it justice. The adventure here is to get Hugo, her father, and a truck of water to the pool by six thirty, but the smaller adventures in between are just as important to the story. The featured characters are well crafted and show surprising subtle depth, but even the smallest characters, the customers of Hugo, prove to be vital to the movie’s flow. Sure, some of the movie is unusual and some is downright weird, but it is funny and makes for an excellent way to spend an hour and a half. I would have liked a widescreen transfer and some more extensive supplements, but the movie alone warrants the cash for either a rental or purchase.
This unusual piece was directed by Robert Downey, Sr., who is a very acclaimed director, both with critics and viewers. While most of his films remain at the cult status, they are worth a look, especially if enjoy offbeat cinema. You can also see Downey, Sr. in front of the camera in two recent P.T. Anderson flicks, Magnolia and Boogie Nights. The lead actor in this movie is Alyssa Milano, who is best known for her role as Samantha on Who’s The Boss, as well as her endeavors into soft-core sex films. I hoped (sorry guys) that she kept her clothes on here, and tried some real acting, and she does. She is excellent here, her bubbly persona fits this part well, and she shows great delivery and energy. Alyssa, if you’re reading this, yes you do look good naked, but keep making movies like one. Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Caligula) is hilarious here, and his scene with the hand puppet is amazing. The supporting cast is filled with parts of various sizes, but all of them are at the least entertaining. Also performing here are Mark Boone Jr. (Vampires, The Game), Sean Penn (Dead Man Walking, Hurlyburly), Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull, Forget Paris), Richard Lewis (Drunks, The Wrong Guys), Patrick Dempsey (Can’t Buy Me Love, Run), and Kevin Dornan (The Ambulance).
Video: How does it look?
Hugo Pool is presented in a full frame transfer, which seems to be an open matte, as no visible pan and scan occurs. The colors look vibrant and full, but no oversaturation occurs, even in the most colorful scenes. The contrast level is also good, no detail loss and the shadows are well defined. I noticed some very minor edge enhancement, but no other compression errors.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is stereo, so you shouldn’t expect much power out of it. While everything comes across fine, the dialogue is a little low, which means you’ll have to fiddle with the remote a little. Overall though, an average track which brings out the music quite well.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The disc includes the trailer, production credits, and talent files for the director and major actors.
