Pools

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Pools

Aug 2025

1h 39m

Drama

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

78%

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18 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Kennedy has one day to get her shit together or get kicked out of school for good. Instead of buckling down, she rallies a ragtag crew for a midnight pool-hopping adventure through the lavish estates of her college town. But under the surface, Kennedy is searching for answers to the questions tearing her up inside in the wake of her father's death. As the secrets spill, this wild escape becomes a cathartic journey of self-discovery.

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Robert Daniels

RogerEbert.com

Aug 22

3/4

Vibrant, silly, and unwaveringly vulnerable, ‘Pools' is an invigorating party movie whose non-stop reverie uplifts its protagonist’s downcast spirit.

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Brandon Yu

New York Times

Aug 21

Rather than considering where or if there’s a heart to this specific film, Hayes seems more preoccupied with capturing the vague vibe of a certain kind of indie teen movie, one in which life gets real, but there’s nothing like being young, wild and free.

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Alton Williams

Battle Royale With Cheese

Oct 28

Pools has a little Freaks & Geeks, a little Breakfast Club, a little Booksmart, and a lot of modern indie flair, all brought together for one massive moment of freedom.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Sep 19

Hayes has made the kind of slick, flashy film that instantly qualifies him for bigger-budgeted projects, but despite the decent efforts of the cast, I didn’t find a moment of sincere emotion here.

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Patrick McDonald

HollywoodChicago.com

Sep 8

4/5

Sam Hayes' debut is a fresh spin on the "graduate" angst of what should we do with our lives, spotlighting not-knowing-what-we're-looking-for while featuring Odessa A'zion as the rep seeker, combining grief, pathos and runaway fun. W/Sam Hayes interview.

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Jason Delgado

Film Threat

Sep 6

8/10

We’ve seen coming-of-age dramas many times over, so Pools is not revolutionary in that sense, but the blending of genres and the top-of-the-line young cast are what make this film special.

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Norm V

Sep 10

Can be a real story but the scenes are not too real.

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Mr. Hollywood

Sep 10

Nothing special here but while watching it I didnt mind it. After the movie you wont remember much as there wasnt much there. Reminded me of the movie The Swimmer with Burt Lancaster, because it takes place in one day mostly and in the summer with different pools (that was a way better movie though, check it out).

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Steve

Aug 30

A beautiful, hilarious, and heartfelt ode to the summers of our youth.

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Andrei D

Dec 1

Somewhat aimless but it does capture something about life's pressures and the the way we break ourselves

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C B

Nov 22

This film (probably inspired by Burt Lancaster's The Swimmer) definitely has a unique style, but one that didn't work for me. I know the Patrick Mahommes lookalike Odessa A'Zion from horror movies and thrillers, but this is the first time that I've seen her in a comedy. She's good here but needs a better movie to truly show her ability at humor.

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C X

Sep 9

I get what they were going for with this movie, but it just never got there. Mildly entertaining, casting was decent.

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Samuel Hayes

Director

Mason Gooding

Reed

Michael Vlamis

Michael

Tyler Alvarez

Blake

Francesca Noel

Shane

Odessa A'zion

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Synopsis

Kennedy has one day to get her shit together or get kicked out of school for good. Instead of buckling down, she rallies a ragtag crew for a midnight pool-hopping adventure through the lavish estates of her college town. But under the surface, Kennedy is searching for answers to the questions tearing her up inside in the wake of her father's death. As the secrets spill, this wild escape becomes a cathartic journey of self-discovery.

Director: Samuel Hayes
Producer: Samuel Hayes, Jack Heston, Seth Savoy, Adonis Tountas, Mike D. Ware
Screenwriter: Samuel Hayes
Distributor: Circle Collective
Production Co: Chicago Media Angels, Paesanos Pictures
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 29, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $53.5K
Runtime: 1h 39m

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