Why is it that overweight women in wannabe quasi-nudie-cuties are typically the butt of jokes, strange creatures whose sexuality is treated as something not to be taken seriously – something repulsive, even? Here’s another question: What would happen to films like “Pool Party” if there weren’t a surplus of nubile young women willing to take their tops off for the chance of being in a feature? The answer, of course, has to with Sarah Horvath, the boss’s daughter, appearing in various states of undress in all her scenes. There’s nothing quite like parading a bevy of bikini-clad beauties to keep viewers from noticing the plot’s recycled content and the used-joke smell of the comedy.
It’s all mostly harmless, though; almost – emphasis on almost – like someone attempting to disinter Benny Hill. Good bang for the production buck and a good cast – although I’m not sure it’s meaningful to evaluate the acting talents of those women in the film whose role is merely to look pretty and heave cleavage – make “Pool Party” something of beer-keg diversion.
Trying Too Hard
There’s no real depth to speak of, nothing for critics and cinema connoisseurs to dissect and mull over. But “Pool Party” does exhibit the strange romantic-at-heart charm that even the raunchiest comedies nowadays tend to have. Hapless hero Matt Green (Bowler) has that sweet everyman quality that brings about a sympathetic rah-rah when he finally overcomes his inability to pass the bar, survives the rule-breaking pool party he fails to prevent, and wins back the girl he loves. If only the little movie that could didn’t try so hard and displayed instead the kind of seemingly effortless naturalism of films like “Fourth and Long.” Characters would shine a bit more brightly, and the film wouldn’t feel like a checklist of requisite gags like the deceptively cute killer dog, the dubious quality of the boss’s homemade brew, and so on. It says something that however much the movie might have something to chuckle over, the funniest bits aren’t in the movie but in the DVD menu selection screen. Instead of the tired looped movie clip or music, viewers are treated to comic sketches aimed at getting them to make a selection.
This is the part of the review where I run out of things to say. The film’s flaws are hardly worth getting worked up about – although I am perfectly serious about my question re: overweight women. And the film’s strengths typically rate a smile more than a laugh, so no grist for the mill there, either. “Pool Party” is likeable, if not especially memorable.
Entertainment Value: * (out of 2)
Technical Quality: * (out of 2)
Pool Party. Directed by Timothy M. Snell. Written by Timothy M. Snell and Justin Bowler and Michael DiGaudio and Jonathan Gunning. Starring Justin T. Bowler, Mikki Padilla, Sarah Horvath, Kenzo Lee and David H. Lawrence XVII. Approximately 90 minutes. Unrated, but contains nudity. Released to DVD on Tuesday. See www.echelonstudios.com for e information.
Frédérik would be thrilled if you'd read his blog (frederik-sisa.blogspot.com) and joined him on MySpace (www.myspace.com/the_recreational_nihilist).