Hugo Pool (1997)

Simply Perfect

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Excellent but underrated film

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Hugo Pool is most definitely a movie that you would probably want to watch alone. Not because it is explicit with sex or foul language, there is none, but because it is just too quirky with a strange mix of characters. These movies hardly even get mentioned in conversations so it is difficult to be led to it. This is the second movie of Robert Downey Sr's that I saw. His style is so unusual that you got to be in a mind frame to accept what is on before you, with an open mind. The film is dedicated to Downey's wife and co-writer Laura Ernst. She died of the same terrible disease that the character played by Patrick Dempsey has in the movie. I decided to watch it, simply because it was mentioned in Robert Downey Jr's biography. Downey's performance as Franz, is pretty garish, so much so that it feels like a crazy man is playing the character. He is deliberately eccentric and sports a muddled accent. This movie came at a time when Downey was at his lowest, personally & it is difficult not to notice his unhealthy, lean physique. The plot revolves around a day in the life of Hugo (Alyssa Milano), as a beautiful young girl who makes her living running a pool cleaning business. While at work, on one hectic day, she deals with her feckless dad & gambling addicted mom, deftly played by Malcom McDowell & Cathy Moriarty & a host of other clients including Franz, who owes her money (Downey Jr). As the day goes by, she befriends one of her clients (Patrick Dempsey) who suffers from ALS (Lou Gehrig's) disease and is attracted to him because of his kindness and his positive outlook towards life.

I'm generally not a fan of Robert Downey Senior's movies. His characters tend to be cartoons and his episodic style means that we seem to be watching a series of "Saturday Night" comedy sketches. "Hugo Pool" has enough great actors in it that all the usual faults are turned into virtues. It also has a sweetness and heart that I haven't seen in any other Downey film.The film is dedicated to Downey's wife and co-writer Laura Ernst. She died of the same terrible disease that the character played by Patrick Dempsey has. It is amazing how Downey shows the disease, but never lets us get sentimental over it or be afraid of it. It is just one more comic element in the film. I hope Laura coped with it as well as Patrick Dempsey's character does.The stand out performance here is by Malcolm McDowell. His portrayal of an old drug addict trying to kick the "Ding, Dang, Du" is charming and funny and sad all at once. The only unfortunate thing is that he's only on screen for about 20 minutes.I think the harsher criticisms of this film are by people who expected a more realistic, integrated film. If you willing to give Downey his quirky style, this film is sweet and delightful.

This is one of the quirkiest plots and casting I have ever seen. And yet, it worked beautifully. Alyssa Milano is usually associated with not-so-good television, but in this one -- Wow!! She was interesting, eccentric, thought-provoking and fun. Alyssa really carried things, but the addition of Malcolm McDowell, Sean Penn, Cathy Moriarty, Robert Downey Jr. and Patrick Dempsey were excellent casting choices.Ten out of ten.

There are a number of memorable acting turns, some more than obvious self-reflective references to addictions (of all types), and a too-pat hand of predictability to move this film beyond a 6 for me. The performances almost rise above the plot restrictions (or lack of restrictions)....an interesting contrast is Robert Altman's "Cookie's Fortune" which I saw two days later which used the characters' idiosyncrasies to move a plot.