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Hugo Pool
Hugo Pool film poster
Hugo Pool film poster
Directed byRobert Downey Sr.
Written by
  • Robert Downey Sr.
  • Laura Downey
Produced byBarbara Ligeti
Starring
CinematographyJoseph Montgomery
Edited byJoe D'Augustine
Music byDanilo Pérez
Production
companies
  • BMG Independents
  • Nomadic Pictures
Distributed byNorthern Arts Entertainment
Release date
  • December 12, 1997 (1997-12-12)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$13,330[1]

Hugo Pool (also known as Pool Girl in the UK[2]) is a 1997 American comedy drama film, directed by Robert Downey Sr., starring Alyssa Milano and Patrick Dempsey.

The film received largely negative reviews, but praise was given to the production values, editing, and the performances by Dempsey, Milano and Downey. It grossed US$13,330 at the box office.

Plot

[edit]

Hugo Dugay runs a small company, Hugo Pool, that cleans swimming pools in Los Angeles. The film covers one day in her life, during which she must clean many pools in the midst of a drought that interferes with her usual water supply. In addition to dealing with several eccentric customers, including mobster Chick Chicalini and filmmaker Franz Mazur, Hugo must care for her needy parents Minerva and Henry. Also, Hugo may be falling in love with Floyd Gaylen, a customer of hers who has ALS.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The film was written by Robert Downey Sr. and his wife Laura, who died of ALS.[3][4] During the shooting of the film, Robert Downey Jr. was in the midst of a serious drug addiction. He was described as "thin, pale and sickly" and would deliver his lines in bursts of manic energy.[5]

Reception

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In a December 1997 review for The Village Voice, Elizabeth Weitzman criticized many of the performances, with the exceptions of Dempsey, for giving an understated performance, Downey Jr., "whose talents cannot be destroyed no matter what horrors he puts them through," and Milano, "whose natural performance appears to have been cut and pasted from another (better) movie," though she "can't turn around without the camera lewdly ogling her."[4] A Variety review states, "the movie seldom achieves the quirky, zany rhythm it strives for"; Hugo Pool is "a comedy that should have been messier and more outrageous." Like The Village Voice, Variety praises the performances of Dempsey, Milano and Downey Jr. above other cast members. The review notes the film's visual accomplishments and production, stating, "Production values are first-rate, including Joe Montgomery's radiant lensing, Lauren Gabor's colorful production design, Danilo Perez's vibrant music and Joe D'Augustine's crisp editing.[3]

A January 1998 San Francisco Chronicle article included it on a list of the best films of 1997, which was based on the ratings of 40 major critics.[6] Hugo Pool was included in Magill's Cinema Annual 1998: A Survey of the Films of 1997, with the book calling the film "horrifically unfunny." It also said, "actress Alyssa Milano spends the entire movie scantily clad in a tank top — and Downey does not let one gratuitous shot of her well-endowed body escape the camera's gaze", adding "Ms. Milano may be exploited, but the award of overacting in a feature film goes virtually uncontested to the director's son. If it were the intention of Robert Downey Jr. to parody his own well-publicized, real life substance abuse problems, it is neither admirable nor amusing. His inability to refrain from drug use resulted in the eventual arrest and conviction of one of Hollywood's most talented, yet unpredictability uneven actors."[7]

Legacy

[edit]

In a 2014 interview, Downey Sr. stated that Hugo Pool is "one of my films that I’m not so happy with."[8] When ranking the 59 films of Robert Downey Jr. in 2021, Kyle Wilson of Screen Rant placed Hugo Pool 48th. He said it had "several failed attempts at heartfelt sincerity", but noted that Downey Jr. was "bizarrely captivating (if a bit over-cooked) as an eccentric film director."[9]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Hugo Pool (also known as Pool Girl in the UK) is a 1997 American comedy-drama film written and directed by . It stars in the title role as Hugo Dugay, a young diabetic woman working as a pool cleaner in , who navigates a chaotic day cleaning 44 pools while managing her insulin needs and family dynamics. The plot centers on her encounters with quirky clients and a budding romance with a charismatic young man dying of (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), played by . The film features a notable , including as Hugo's mother, as her father, and supporting roles by , Richard Lewis, with cameo appearances by and Robert Downey Jr.. Blending elements of romance, humor, and , Hugo Pool explores themes of illness, family tension, and unexpected connections against the backdrop of a drought-stricken . With a runtime of 92 minutes and an R rating for language and brief nudity, it premiered at film festivals before a .

Background

Director Robert Downey Sr.

Robert Downey Sr., born Robert John Elias Jr. in 1936 in New York City, emerged as a key figure in the underground and experimental cinema of the 1960s, creating low-budget, provocative films that challenged conventional narratives and social norms. His early works, such as the satirical short Babo 73 (1964), which featured Taylor Mead as a bumbling U.S. president, and the boundary-pushing Chafed Elbows (1966), a musical about incest and welfare dependency, exemplified his embrace of improvisation, surrealism, and taboo subjects. These films, often shot on 16mm and blown up to 35mm for distribution, secured him a Guggenheim Fellowship and established his reputation among countercultural filmmakers. Downey's breakthrough came with Putney Swope (1969), a sharp satire on corporate racism and advertising where he dubbed the lead actor's voice himself, blending absurdity with social critique; it was added to the National Film Registry in 2016 for its cultural impact. He followed with Greaser's Palace (1972), a psychedelic anti-Western reimagining the life of Jesus in a frontier saloon, funded by a larger budget but ultimately a financial disappointment despite its cult following. In the and , Downey transitioned toward more mainstream opportunities while maintaining his independent ethos, influencing a generation of filmmakers through his unbridled, low-budget approach to . Pound (1970), a political featuring human actors as dogs in a city pound, marked this shift; it surprised distributor , who anticipated animation, and introduced his five-year-old son, Robert Downey Jr., to acting in a cameo role. His directorial style—characterized by quirky humor, autobiographical elements drawn from his own outsider experiences, and a focus on societal misfits—permeated these works, as seen in the disjointed, irreverent narratives that prioritized provocation over polish. Directors like , , and the have cited Downey's experimental techniques and countercultural spirit as pivotal to the indie film movement, with Anderson even casting him in (1997). Family involvement deepened this legacy; Downey funded his son's birth through earnings from Sweet Smell of Sex (1965) and later included him in projects like , fostering an early immersion in cinema that shaped Robert Downey Jr.'s career. However, he later expressed regret over introducing his son to marijuana at age six, acknowledging it as a "terrible, stupid mistake" amid his own struggles. By the 1990s, Downey's output had significantly reduced due to prolonged health challenges, including a decade-long battle with that began in the early and impaired his writing and productivity. Ventures like the commercial flop (1980), a comedy for co-directed with his second wife Laura Ernst, highlighted corporate resistance to his personal vision, leading him to pivot toward acting in films such as To Live and Die in L.A. (1985). His later directorial efforts, including (1991), retained satirical quirks but reflected a scaled-back pace, compounded by personal losses like his divorce from first wife Elsie Ford and the family's shared struggles with . These challenges culminated in sparse output, though his influence endured, paving the way for more introspective works inspired by events such as his second wife's illness.

Development of the script

The screenplay for Hugo Pool was co-written by director and his second wife, Laura Downey (née Ernst), while she battled . The script drew significant personal inspiration from Laura Downey's battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (), which profoundly shaped the character of Floyd Gaylen and the film's exploration of illness, mortality, and caregiving. Laura Downey passed away from on January 27, 1994, at the age of 36, and the completed film is dedicated to her memory. Downey Sr. completed revisions to the script after her death, incorporating deeper emotional layers that reflected their shared experiences and amplified the story's autobiographical undertones. Originally conceived as a quirky addressing themes of , , and urban isolation amid a Los Angeles drought, the narrative unfolds over a single day in the life of a pool cleaner navigating eccentric encounters. This structure blends comedy, drama, and satire to highlight the peculiarities of Los Angeles life.

Production

Casting process

The casting for Hugo Pool emphasized a mix of emerging talents and seasoned character actors, aligning with the film's intimate, low-budget production and directed by Robert Downey Sr. as a personal project inspired by his late wife's battle with . The lead role of Hugo Dugay, a resilient pool cleaner navigating a chaotic day, went to , who brought a blend of youthful vitality and emotional depth to the character, transitioning from her television work on shows like Who's the Boss? to this indie feature. was selected for Floyd Gaylen, the charming yet pathos-laden patient, leveraging his rising status as a romantic lead to infuse the role with sensitivity. Robert Downey Jr. took on the role of Franz Mazur, an eccentric filmmaker, as a familial gesture to his father amid his own well-documented battles with addiction. The supporting cast featured Cathy Moriarty as the compulsive gambler mother Minerva Dugay, delivering a nuanced portrayal of familial tension, and Richard Lewis as the neurotic mobster Chic Chicalini, adding comedic edge through his stand-up roots. Malcolm McDowell stepped in as Henry Dugay, the recovering addict father (initially intended for Alan Arkin), due to scheduling conflicts, bringing his distinctive intensity to the family's dysfunctional dynamic. This approach prioritized personal ties and reliable performers over high-profile names, fostering authentic ensemble chemistry.

Filming and locations

Principal photography for Hugo Pool took place in 1996 over a compressed schedule, primarily in to capture the city's real suburban and urban environments that contributed to the film's authentic, quirky atmosphere. Key locations included various private homes and pools across , chosen to depict the drought-stricken settings central to the narrative, while interior scenes were shot in modest family residences to represent the Dugay home. As a low-budget production from Nomadic Pictures, the shoot relied on a limited crew and faced logistical challenges from Robert Downey Jr.'s drug issues during filming. Cinematographer Joe Montgomery employed natural lighting to achieve a raw, documentary-like aesthetic, aligning with director 's vision for an episodic, offbeat comedy. The 92-minute runtime resulted from tight editing by Joe D'Augustine, which streamlined the film's structure around Hugo's chaotic day. Filming coincided with ongoing dry conditions in , amplifying the story's themes of scarcity and resilience, while Downey Sr. personally oversaw blocking for the peculiar client encounters to heighten their surreal humor.

Content

Plot summary

Hugo Pool is set over the course of a single day in during a severe , following Hugo Dugay, a dedicated pool cleaner who is diabetic and must manage her insulin needs while servicing 44 backyard pools for her eccentric clients. Hugo begins her rounds early, navigating water shortages that complicate her work, while dealing with the demands of her , including her compulsive gambler mother, , and her recovering addict father, Henry. As she tackles her demanding schedule, Hugo encounters a series of quirky clients, such as the mobster Chick Chicalini, who insists on having his empty pool filled despite the restrictions, and the obsessive filmmaker Franz Mazur, who is fixated on his stalled movie project and owes Hugo money from years ago. Interspersed with these visits, Hugo recruits her reluctant parents to help lighten her load; Henry is dispatched in a water truck to illegally source water from the for Chicalini's pool, where he picks up a mysterious hitchhiker dressed in bright shoes who provides enigmatic assistance. Meanwhile, , entangled in debts, tags along after receiving a horse-racing tip, adding to the chaotic family dynamics as they move from pool to pool. The day's central development occurs when Hugo arrives at the home of Floyd Gaylen, a young man confined to a due to , and begins cleaning his neglected pool; their interaction sparks an immediate flirtation, evolving into a tender emotional connection as Floyd joins her on the remaining rounds, offering and amid his condition. As the day progresses toward evening, tensions escalate with logistical crises, including the high-stakes effort to fill Chicalini's pool on time and ongoing family squabbles, culminating in a moment of overflow chaos that tests Hugo's resourcefulness. Despite these obstacles and the sobering reality of Floyd's illness, Hugo chooses to embrace the budding romance, sharing intimate moments that highlight subtle undercurrents of illness and isolation. The unfolds in an episodic slice-of-life style blending comedy and drama, concluding on a bittersweet note of tentative hope as Hugo reflects on her connections forged that day.

Cast and characters

Alyssa Milano leads the cast as Hugo Dugay, the film's resilient diabetic protagonist and overworked pool cleaner who navigates a chaotic day managing her business and insulin needs amid a severe while supporting her . Patrick Dempsey portrays Floyd Gaylen, a wheelchair-bound man afflicted with who exudes charm and optimism, evolving into Hugo's unexpected love interest and a source of emotional uplift through their tender interactions. Cathy Moriarty plays Minerva Dugay, Hugo's anxious mother who is a compulsive grappling with , which confines her to the home but forces her to venture out amid gambling debts and family crisis. appears as Henry Dugay, Hugo's eccentric and irresponsible father battling past addictions including and drugs, who reluctantly aids in the family's water-fetching efforts despite his personal instability. Robert Downey Jr. embodies Franz Mazur, an eccentric and self-absorbed Hungarian independent filmmaker serving as one of Hugo's demanding clients, marked by his flamboyant attire and overdue payments. Richard Lewis is cast as Chick Chicalini, a neurotic and bullying mobster who pressures Hugo for pool maintenance services even during the water crisis, adding tension to her rounds. The supporting ensemble includes as a mysterious hitchhiker who mysteriously assists Henry, alongside various minor roles filled by actors portraying quirky clients that populate Hugo's world of eccentric residents. Together, these characters form a vibrant ensemble representing diverse archetypes—from struggling artists and tough gangsters to afflicted family members—infusing the narrative with a mix of humor and through their interconnected mishaps.

Release

Distribution

Hugo Pool premiered at the on January 21, 1997, marking its world debut and generating initial buzz within the independent film community. Despite festival reception for its quirky dynamics, the film did not secure a wide theatrical rollout and instead proceeded to a limited U.S. release on December 12, 1997, screening exclusively at select venues such as the Mann Westwood in and the Edwards University in Irvine. The U.S. distribution was managed by BMG Independents in association with Northern Arts Entertainment, reflecting the project's modest indie scale. International distribution remained minimal, with sparse releases in countries like and , underscoring the 's low-profile status outside . The initial format was 35mm theatrical projection, aligned with standard practices for late-1990s independent cinema, though prospects for broader expansion were dim given the niche appeal. Marketing for the release adopted a low-key approach, emphasizing the film's eccentric indie charm, Alyssa Milano's lead performance, and the collaborative Downey family involvement—directed by Robert Downey Sr. and featuring Robert Downey Jr. Promotional posters spotlighted the romantic comedy-drama hybrid, aiming to attract audiences interested in offbeat character-driven stories. However, the film's publicity was overshadowed by Robert Downey Jr.'s legal troubles, as he was sentenced to six months in jail on December 8, 1997, for violating probation on prior drug offenses, just days before the theatrical debut.

Box office performance

Hugo Pool was released on a limited basis on December 12, 1997, opening in four theaters and earning $6,305 during its debut weekend of December 12–14. The film ultimately grossed $13,330 domestically over its short theatrical run. No international box office earnings were reported, resulting in a worldwide total of $13,330. Produced as a low-budget independent film by Northern Arts Entertainment, Hugo Pool represented a significant commercial disappointment relative to expectations for a project featuring established actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Sean Penn. Its underperformance was exacerbated by minimal marketing efforts and a restricted release confined primarily to select markets such as Los Angeles and New York. Additionally, the premiere coincided with Downey Jr.'s sentencing to six months in jail for probation violations stemming from prior drug offenses, which likely diminished the film's audience draw amid the ensuing media scrutiny. The movie's earnings mark it as one of the lowest-grossing entries in 's , underscoring the challenges faced by independent cinema in competing during the competitive holiday season.

Reception

Critical reviews

Upon its release, Hugo Pool garnered mixed reviews from critics, reflecting its blend of quirky comedy and heartfelt drama but struggling with tonal inconsistencies. On , the film holds a 29% approval rating based on 7 reviews, indicating a generally unfavorable reception among critics. As of November 2025, audience response was similarly tepid, with an IMDb user rating of 5.0 out of 10 from over 2,000 votes. Several reviewers highlighted positive elements in the performances and technical aspects, particularly Patrick Dempsey's sensitive depiction of a man afflicted with , which brought emotional depth to the central romance, and Alyssa Milano's earnest portrayal of the resilient pool cleaner Hugo. Variety praised the film's "crisp editing" by Joe D’Augustine and its vivid capture of sun-baked locales, lending an authentic, personal feel to the proceedings: "Here, for a change, is a that should have been messier and more outrageous." Robert Downey Jr.'s quirky cameo as an eccentric filmmaker added a layer of antic energy, though it was often noted for its bold, improvisational style amid the ensemble. Criticisms centered on the film's lack of genuine humor, overacted supporting roles, and a meandering plot that failed to cohesively blend its whimsical and serious elements. The New York Times described it as a "flighty comic about in contemporary " that is "wildly overacted, with loose ends flying everywhere," despite conveying some poignancy. ReelViews critic awarded it 1 out of 4 stars, calling it bland and directionless: "Unfortunately, even with plenty of talent attached, the film goes nowhere." Variety echoed these sentiments, noting the "slender, undernourished script" that lacks the irreverence of director Robert Downey Sr.'s earlier works, resulting in set pieces that fall flat. These issues contributed to poor word-of-mouth, impacting its limited performance. Despite the prevailing flaws, the film found some unexpected support.

Awards and nominations

Despite its premiere at the 1997 , Hugo Pool did not receive any awards or official honors from the event. The film, an independent production with a , garnered no nominations from major ceremonies such as the , Golden Globes, or Independent Spirit Awards. While Patrick Dempsey's portrayal of the ALS-afflicted Floyd earned informal praise in smaller reviews for its emotional depth and charm, it led to no award submissions or wins. The movie's low profile and modest distribution limited its visibility for broader awards consideration, in contrast to other 1997 independent successes like , which secured multiple BAFTA nominations and international acclaim. Although not connected to any honors, the film carries a posthumous dedication to co-writer Laura Downey, who passed away from in 1995, adding a personal emotional resonance to its themes.

Legacy

Personal significance to the Downeys

Hugo Pool holds profound emotional significance for the Downey family, primarily as a dedication to Laura Downey, the director's second wife, who co-wrote the screenplay before succumbing to in 1994 at age 36. The character of Floyd, afflicted with the same disease, was deeply inspired by Laura's illness and decline, transforming the film into a therapeutic outlet for 's grief during its creation. This personal script development, begun amid her deteriorating health, allowed Downey Sr. to channel his loss into a narrative exploring mortality and connection, making the project an intimate family endeavor rather than a commercial venture. In a 2014 reflecting on his body of work, expressed dissatisfaction with the final product of Hugo Pool, citing production frustrations and the film's excessive length as barriers to achieving his artistic vision, though he praised his son's performance as exceptional. Despite these regrets, the movie served as a personal for familial loss and recovery, encapsulating Downey Sr.'s struggles with his own alongside the themes of illness and redemption. He later viewed it as flawed but acknowledged its role in processing profound personal tragedies. For , who portrayed the eccentric Franz, the film was shot amid his severe addiction struggles in the mid-1990s, with his gaunt appearance reflecting his personal turmoil at the time. The role's quirky, unpredictable nature mirrored aspects of his own real-life eccentricities during this low point, and the December 1997 release coincided with his sentencing to six months in jail for a violation on charges, which further strained family dynamics. This collaboration underscored Downey Sr.'s enduring influence on his son's early indie career, representing one of their few joint projects before Jr.'s rise to stardom, and highlighted the therapeutic, if imperfect, family legacy embedded in the work.

Cultural and retrospective views

In retrospective analyses of Robert Downey Jr.'s , Hugo Pool is often ranked low, placing 58th out of 68 features in a 2023 assessment, where it was described as an eccentric early-career comedy overshadowed by the actor's later successes. This positioning highlights its status as an overlooked entry amid Downey Jr.'s career challenges and revival in the late and . The film has garnered minor cult appreciation through home video releases, valued for its quirky satire of life and place within independent cinema, akin to the offbeat style of contemporaries like . It is occasionally discussed in surveys of indie filmmaking for its ensemble-driven eccentricity, though it lacks the widespread following of Downey Sr.'s earlier cult hits like Putney Swope. Culturally, Hugo Pool stands out as a rare mainstream comedy-drama depiction of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), inspired by Downey Sr.'s personal loss of his wife to the disease, aiming to raise awareness through its portrayal of romance amid disability. While some medical critiques have noted its focus on romantic and sexual elements as potentially misleading representations of ALS symptoms, it contributed to early cinematic explorations of the condition, influencing subsequent works blending disability narratives with humor and intimacy. The film's Los Angeles setting, with its episodic encounters, subtly evokes urban isolation, though broader thematic ties to environmental issues like water scarcity remain underexplored in analyses. In modern reappraisals, Hugo Pool received praise in obituaries following Robert Downey Sr.'s death in 2021 for its personal authenticity, reflecting the director's intimate handling of grief and family dynamics. Streaming availability remains limited, primarily accessible via free platforms like , with no major theatrical revivals but frequent citations in Downey family filmographies and documentaries like Sr. (2022). Its initial mixed reception, marked by a 29% score, has informed these views as a heartfelt yet uneven indie effort. Broader legacy-wise, Hugo Pool exemplifies the challenges of father-son collaborations in Hollywood, as one of several joint projects between the Downeys that navigated creative tensions and personal recoveries, sustaining niche interest among cinephiles focused on underground and familial cinema.

References

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