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 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.