You are here:

Pool

Name: Pool
Director: Mika Ohmori
Released: 2009
Duration: 96 min

Representation Score

6.4/10

Good

2009

Director

Mika Ohmori

Runtime

96 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Pool is an intimate portrayal of familial estrangement and the tension between a mother and daughter. It succeeds by rejecting idealized family structures to highlight the autonomy of modern, globalized identities. The film's strength lies in its nuanced exploration of non-traditional domesticity. By focusing on the daughter's self-discovery and the mother's independent life in Thailand, it offers a sophisticated look at female autonomy. While the film excels in cultural and gender nuance, it lacks representation regarding disability. The narrative remains focused on a specific micro-scale of interpersonal dynamics.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Pool have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film examines the fluid social dynamics and unconventional relationships within an expatriate community. It emphasizes emotional authenticity over traditional relationship models.

How does Pool portray gender?

Good

The story centers on women's autonomy and the complexities of womanhood. It challenges the nurturing matriarch stereotype by showing women as independent individuals pursuing their own desires.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Pool?

Good

The setting allows for a cross-cultural interaction between Japanese characters and the Thai environment. This avoids a purely Japan-centric perspective by embracing a multicultural atmosphere.

How does Pool represent religion and culture?

Good

The film critiques strict Japanese social norms and traditional family roles. It favors individual experiences and transient lifestyles over institutional or familial obligations.

Does Pool include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant presence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities influencing the narrative.

Present on Screen

Subverts traditional maternal archetypes by emphasizing female independence and autonomy.
Offers a nuanced cross-cultural encounter by integrating Japanese characters into a Thai setting.
Challenges rigid social norms through a critique of traditional Japanese family expectations.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation or narrative focus regarding characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A story of 6 days with 5 people gathered around a small sparkling pool at Chiang Mai in Thailand. 4 years ago, Kyoko started to live in Thailand and has been working in a Guest house outside in Chiang Mai, leaving her mother and her daughter Sayo, in Japan. Just before the graduation of University, Sayo sets foot on Thailand to visit her mother with mixed feelings. However, emotional experiences with the people living there changes such feelings toward her mother.

How are these scores produced? →