Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2009

Much like Naomi Kawase’s 2008 film Nanayomachi, Pool is a slow, contemplative effort that pays more attention to mood than plot or character development. This kind of movie can be engaging if done well, but Pool falls shy of the mark. Sayo (Kana) arrives in Thailand to visit the luxurious guesthouse near Chiang Mai run by her mother Kyoko (Satomi Kobayashi). To her surprise, mom has adopted a local boy named Pi (Sittichai Kongpila), whose own mother has disappeared. Also on the scene is the guesthouse owner Kikuko (Masako Motai), who is dying of cancer. When the trio of women try to find the boy’s mother, Sayo develops a bond with the child, which helps in her efforts to relate to her own mother. These storylines are not well developed, however, and the visuals aren’t strong or moving enough to carry the load. (96 min)