THE POOL is a quiet but by no means less effective drama about a teen’s desire to rise through the ranks of well being that is quite the antithesis of the recent Oscar Best Picture winner SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

The setting is Goa, India – a beautiful state, as revealed by Chris Smith’s camera.  (Goa is a famous tourist spot in India, perhaps popularized more by the hit London play A MADHOUSE IN GOA.) The protagonist is 18-year old Venkatesh (Venkatesh Chavan) who longs for a better life.  Trouble is that not only is he poor but he belongs to a lower caste system.  He befriends a 12-year old Jhangir (Jhangir Badshah), who surprisingly turns out to be a more interesting character than Venkatesh.  They embark on a sideline business of selling plastic bags on the streets.  But director Smith keeps the goal of his film in focus, which is the study of Venkatesh’s temptations and decisions regarding his future.

The other friendship is developed between the owner of the pool, Nana (Nana Patekar) who mentors him.  Venkatesh also develops a romantic inkling for Nana’s somewhat rebellious daughter, Ayesha (Ayesha Mohan) who is also beyond his reach.

THE POOL of the title is a symbol of wealth and class that is unattainable to Venketesh.  He longs to dip in its crystal clear blue waters though he never dips in the near ocean.  Whether or not he finally has a swim in the pool forms the climax of the movie.

THE POOL moves at a leisurely pace allowing the viewer to watch and observe the proceedings – whether it be the unfamiliar Indian culture or the incidents of the story.  Smith is fond of filming the characters performing duties (unloading logs off a cart; plucking coconuts off a tree) while conversing.

The film has a heroic ending, which I will not reveal in this review.  The ending has a twist but not an unbelievable one despite the fact that Venkatesh and Jhangir were once rivals in plastic bag business.