Chris Pine's Directorial Debut Defies All Expectations, Astounds Critics

Summary

Chris Pine's directorial debut, Poolman, disappoints critics with an 11% Tomatometer score, marking his worst-rated movie to date.

With just nine reviews thus far, the film Poolman is already facing a bleak future due to its underwhelming initial score. The movie's unconventional style and inconsistent tone have been heavily scrutinized by critics, with a few even recommending viewers to opt for a rewatch of The Big Lebowski instead.

Chris Pine's directorial debut, Poolman, has been met with disappointment by critics. The film, in which Pine also stars as the lead, revolves around Darren Barrenman, a pool worker and aspiring philosopher, whose ordinary life takes an unexpected turn when he stumbles upon the greatest water heist in history at the Tahitian Tiki apartments. Co-written by Pine and Ian Gotler, Poolman features a talented cast including Jennifer Jason Leigh, Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, and DeWanda Wise.

Regrettably, Pine's initial attempt as a director has failed to impress the critics. As of now, Poolman holds an underwhelming 11% Tomatometer score on the renowned review aggregation website, Rotten Tomatoes. It is important to note that this score is based on only nine reviews, and therefore may vary as more reviews are gathered. Presently, this score marks Pine's lowest-rated film of his career, surpassing his previous record set by the 2006 comedy Just My Luck, which held a 14% rating.

Poolman Is Pine’s Career-Worst Scored Movie Ever

While the movie has received ratings from only nine critics so far, its initial score, which is just above ten, is likely to determine Poolman's fate. Despite a few low-rated films in his career, Pine has also been involved in numerous highly acclaimed projects, including this year's Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which holds an impressive 97% rating.

Although Poolman's concept as an LA-based mystery could have been intriguing, critics have expressed a different opinion thus far. The Daily Beast criticized the movie, stating that "the most puzzling aspect might be how anyone involved found this overwhelming absurdity appealing." Others have also pointed out the inconsistent tone in Poolman. Total Film, giving it a one-star rating, sarcastically suggested that viewers should "do themselves (and everyone involved) a favor by watching The Big Lebowski again instead."

Unfortunately, Poolman's initial reviews may be detrimental to Pine's directing career. Although a first-time film may have some flaws, receiving such a low score is unlikely to instill confidence in studios regarding Pine's future directorial projects. Although Pine has established a successful and reliable acting career, if Poolman turns out to be as chaotic as the critics suggest, Pine's debut as a director may also be his final attempt.