pgsundling

"That is so LA."

The Poolman is like Chinatown, reimagined with the surrealism of Terry Gilliam. This craziness would be even less believable if it wasn't set in Los Angeles. It captures the undercurrent of creatives chasing success in LA with day jobs and a side of therapy. It's a dreamer's city.

Someone who hasn't been friends with people like these might not be able to believe, understand, or appreciate this film. I get these characters and know people like them. Everyone is trying to get some side project made and LA attracts a lot of unconventional people.

For context, doing tech for the big entertainment conglomerates as my day job in LA, before retiring to write novels is where I'm coming from.

It's surely a love it or hate it film. You'll either be delighted and laughing hysterically, or groaning in annoyance. Not much middle ground. The acting is fabulous and Chris Pine in particular was incredible.

While the Cuban Missile Crisis remains the most dangerous time in human history with many near misses, other events like this have brought periods of danger.

The world is more at risk from miscalculations than serious intent. That is what makes this an important film for our time. There seems to be controversy about why the submarine got trapped, but that misses the point. It doesn't matter how we got there. What matters is how we get out.

It's an accurate reflection of conflicting personal agendas in big organizations and how most people just want to go on with their day. I loved the understated humor, acting, and characterization.