Watch Kids' Reviews of
POOL, THE

The Pool begins with a mother and son adjusting to their new life and a sad moment and, although the acting is excellent, the story is not uplifting.

The storyline follows a young boy and his mother struggling in a post-divorce move to a new town. Soon there is a mother-son stand-off, until the boy finally says he hates her after the mother curses a profanity at the top of her lungs at the local swimming pool in front of all of the other mothers.

Reconstructing your life after a divorce is tough, for both the parent and the child. This film resonates with anyone that has lived through a divorce and tried to fit in to a new community. The non-welcoming boys and moms at the pool are all too familiar. In terms of behavior, even if the other mothers are parents of bullies, the mother's loss of control at the pool does not look good for her and her son. However, there is a ray of light at the end, but the process of getting there is painful. The camerawork is pretty good, as is the audio. There are some lighting issues - too dark inside the house and too light at the pool. The background music is excellent and non-intrusive. The ending song is terrific. The pace of the film works well; the conflict between the mother and the boy develops and is resolved in a believable way. I didn't really care for the mother, who is overbearing, somewhat dismissive of others and pushy, but the actor, Suzanne Dunn, plays her quite well. Garrett Palm, as the boy, also delivers an excellent performance.

The message is about making things work, even when it seen impossible. We have to be authentic to ourselves.

I give The Pool 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Reviewed by Nancy K. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!

The Pool begins with a mother and son adjusting to their new life and a sad moment and, although the acting is excellent, the story is not uplifting.

The storyline follows a young boy and his mother struggling in a post-divorce move to a new town. Soon there is a mother-son stand-off, until the boy finally says he hates her after the mother curses a profanity at the top of her lungs at the local swimming pool in front of all of the other mothers.

Reconstructing your life after a divorce is tough, for both the parent and the child. This film resonates with anyone that has lived through a divorce and tried to fit in to a new community. The non-welcoming boys and moms at the pool are all too familiar. In terms of behavior, even if the other mothers are parents of bullies, the mother's loss of control at the pool does not look good for her and her son. However, there is a ray of light at the end, but the process of getting there is painful. The camerawork is pretty good, as is the audio. There are some lighting issues - too dark inside the house and too light at the pool. The background music is excellent and non-intrusive. The ending song is terrific. The pace of the film works well; the conflict between the mother and the boy develops and is resolved in a believable way. I didn't really care for the mother, who is overbearing, somewhat dismissive of others and pushy, but the actor, Suzanne Dunn, plays her quite well. Garrett Palm, as the boy, also delivers an excellent performance.

The message is about making things work, even when it seen impossible. We have to be authentic to ourselves.

I give The Pool 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Reviewed by Nancy K. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!

After her husband's leaving, Anita Mills picks up and starts anew in an affluent suburb, where she desperately wants her son -- and herself -- to fit in. However, the members of the local pool have a different idea.