A Night of Chaos That Hits Closer Than Expected

Read Time:6 Minute, 2 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Pools
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Genre: Drama, Comedy
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 39m
Director(s): Sam Hayes
Writer(s): Sam Hayes
Cast: Odessa A’zion, Mason Gooding, Ariel Winter, Michael Vlamis, Tyler Alvarez, Francesca Noel, Suzanne Cryer
Where to Watch: The Chicago release at the Music Box on August 22, 2025, NYC release at the Quad Cinema, and LA release at the NuArt on August 29, and Nationwide Expansion on September 5

RAVING REVIEW: It begins with a familiar setup: a college student, on the brink of expulsion, decides to shrug off the threat of tomorrow in favor of one last adventure. In POOLS, that adventure is a summer night of pool-hopping through the manicured backyards of an affluent college town. It’s a premise ripe for energy, yet Sam Hayes’ debut feature has more on its mind than fleeting thrills. Beneath the glow and the adrenaline rush is a story about grief, identity, and the ways we navigate life after a personal loss, which redraws the map entirely. Honestly, the film is all over the place, but that’s not a bad thing; here, it works to the advantage of the story.

Kennedy (Odessa A’zion) is the ringleader of this midnight escapade. She’s quick-witted and restless, but there’s an edge to her rebellion that hints at something more complicated. This isn’t just a stunt to dodge the weight of expulsion; it’s a stalling tactic against facing the emotional wreckage left behind after a loss. Hayes wastes no time setting the stage, plunging us into Kennedy’s impulsive decision to gather a misfit crew for a night that’s equal parts distraction and quiet search for meaning.

The ensemble here is stacked with distinct personalities that bounce off each other without feeling like archetypes in a teen comedy. Mason Gooding’s Reed has a charm that fits effortlessly into the group’s dynamic, while Ariel Winter’s Delaney brings a guarded presence that adds just the right amount of friction. Tyler Alvarez, Francesca Noel, and Michael Vlamis round out the core group, each offering moments that hint at lives outside of this singular night. These aren’t just sidekicks to Kennedy’s journey; their personalities ripple through the film, reinforcing its underlying themes.

Hayes’ Chicago roots seep into the film’s DNA—not just in the setting but in the way the story balances mischief with an unvarnished truth. The director’s statement reveals that this isn’t just a work of imagination; it’s drawn from his own experiences of losing someone close to him in his early twenties. That lived-in authenticity comes through in the way the film captures grief—as an unpredictable, lingering presence that can shape even the most impulsive decisions.

POOLS capitalizes on the aesthetic possibilities inherent in its premise. The pools themselves become something more—illuminated in deep blues and greens, reflecting the energy of each stop along the way. Director of photography Ben Hardwicke captures these moments with a mix of dreaminess and immediacy, maintaining that energy without sacrificing intimacy. The pool-hopping sequences avoid repetitiveness by leaning into the interactions between characters rather than turning into an endless montage. When the camera hangs around, it’s often on faces—moments where joy slips into reflection before the next burst of chaos.

One of the most striking elements is how the film manages tone. There’s a breezy, almost John Hughes-inspired surface—Hayes has cited FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF and THE BREAKFAST CLUB as influences—but layered beneath is a clear-eyed acknowledgment that youthful recklessness doesn’t pause grief, it just temporarily muffles it. When those moments land, they’re earned. A’zion navigates this exceptionally well; Kennedy is magnetic without ever tipping into the kind of ungrounded charm that can sink a coming-of-age lead. You believe she’s the life of this fleeting party, but you also see the exhaustion that creeps in when the music fades.

There’s an air conditioning repairman subplot—personal to Hayes and inspired by actor Michael Vlamis—that, while humorous and offbeat, sometimes pulls focus from the more intricate moments for the audience. Still, all that matters is the purpose of Hayes. These diversions speak to Hayes’ desire to color outside the lines of a conventional coming-of-age arc.

Cody Fry’s score lends the film a warmth that complements its visual palette, with Odessa A’zion even contributing original songs that add a personal touch to the project. The music choices reinforce the film’s sense of the moment—the idea that this is a snapshot of a night you’ll remember not because it changed everything, but because it was one of the few times you were entirely present in your own life.

What makes POOLS stand out in a crowded genre is its refusal to reduce grief to a singular lesson or turning point. Instead, it’s about the middle—the time between loss and acceptance where joy and pain coexist. Hayes captures that complexity without losing sight of the fact that, at its core, this is still a film about a group of friends breaking into backyards for a night swim. It’s escapism with roots, and that combination makes for a satisfying watch.

While it wears the influences of ‘80s ensemble comedies, POOLS isn’t content to just update the formula. It folds in a modern awareness and a grounded sense of consequence without dampening the fun. The result is a film that can be warm, funny, and cathartic, often in the same scene. For all its late-night energy and adrenaline, it’s the morning after—the clarity that comes when the water settles—that gives POOLS its staying power.

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[PHOTO COURTESY OF UTOPIA, PAESANOS PICTURES, CHICAGO MEDIA ANGELS]

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