Lifetime Review: 'Pool Boy Nightmare'

Still fresh from a divorce from her cheating husband, Gale Foley (Jessica Morris) hopes that her new house will mean a fresh start for her and her teenage daughter Becca (Ellie Darcey-Alden). Her new home also comes with a pool, which is how Gale meets Adam Lance (Tanner Zagarino), the pool cleaner for the home's previous owner. Charmed by Adam's good looks and suave personality, Gale takes on Adam as her own pool boy--and ends up sharing a passionate fling with the young man.

Immediately regretting her actions, Gale tells Adam that it was a one-time mistake and that it can't happen again. To say Adam takes it hard is an understatement, and Gale is horrified when she finds out Adam is romancing Becca as a means of getting back at her. As Gale tries to get Adam out of her and her daughter's lives, her former lover's obsession proves more twisted than she could imagine...

It's ironic how some of Gale and Adam's first interactions consist of Adam not understanding Gale's references to The Shining and The Graduate. I say that because Adam's later actions/bits of revealed history hearken back to other classic pieces of media. In addition to his reverse Lolita scheme against Gale, Adam's backstory reveals he has a bit in common with the villain of a famous 60's horror movie. This little dollop of creative foreshadowing (whether intentional or otherwise) was a small highlight of Pool Boy Nightmare, which is otherwise a fairly formulaic "Scorned Lover" drama that Lifetime has explored time and time again. This becomes the film's biggest negative, as the script sticks close to the well-worn format for this kind of Fatal Attraction-esque thriller with little deviation. This, along with some other issues, brings Pool Boy Nightmare's fun factor down.

Thankfully, the cast works to make up for what the script doesn't do in terms of branching out. Most notable for this is Tanner Zagarino in his film debut as psycho pool boy--er, pool man--Adam Lance. While his newness to the film scene is noticeable in a few moments (including the one I just referenced), Zagarino otherwise makes a stellar first impression. In addition to bringing boatloads of charm during Adam's alluring moments, Zagarino truly shines once he's allowed to let loose and dive into Adam's mania. Combined, Adam Lance makes for a believably seductive villain who's fun to watch in action.

WARNING: Spoilers Below

Complementing Zagarino's histrionic portrayal are moments when the script allows Adam's character to form an understated tragic side. The third act shines a light on Adam's previously only-hinted-at parental issues, and as we learn more about his past, it becomes clear that Adam seems to be something of a Norman Bates type. While a lack of development leaves much of Adam's potential as a tragic villain squandered, Zagarino does well with what he's given to cultivate this sliver of empathy. Throughout the film, Zagarino provides non-verbal hints to Adam's troubled past at the hands of his parents, allowing a few moments (particularly towards the end) when you might find yourself feeling bad for the guy. While the unused potential is disappointing, Zagarino's efforts to make use of the material he does get spells good things for his potential acting future.

Spoilers Over

While the rest of the cast are given more mundane characters to play, they each do what they can to bring life to them. Lifetime alum Jessica Morris brings all the likability she can to the flawed Gale Foley, with her most effective moments being scenes where Gale's post-divorce insecurities are explored. Morris brings emotive power to such scenes, making it understandable why she would be vulnerable to someone like Adam. On the downside, though, are the moments that threaten to push Gale into Unintentionally Unsympathetic territory. Her reason for rejecting Adam after their fling drips of hypocrisy: beforehand, she gets mad about the double standard regarding women dating younger men, only to seemingly dump Adam solely because of his age. She also neglects to tell her daughter the truth about Adam when he begins revenge-dating Becca and showing signs of his instability, making it seem she cares about her pride more than her daughter's safety. SPOILER ALERT Gale becomes a great deal more likable towards the finale after coming clean to Becca, with the mother-daughter duo ultimately teaming up to defeat Adam. Morris makes the most of these climactic moments of badassery, which helps to make up for Gale being a hard-to-like character for much of the middle act. Spoilers Over

Ellie Darcey-Alden joins Zagarino in making her Lifetime premiere as Becca Foley, bringing sweetness to Becca's adorkable crush on Adam and awkward attempts at flirting. Darcey-Alden and Zagarino share some nice chemistry, and she and Morris work well with Becca and Gale's better moments together. But like Gale, Becca has a fair amount of the movie unlikable. Her segue from "Conflicted but Loving Daughter" to "Sharp-Tongued Brat" once she begins dating Adam is an abrupt swing, and the fact that she also begins lashing out at her best friend is sure to only further grind audience gears. While Zagarino's charm can justify Becca's devotion, it can't take away the sting of seeing her push away her friends and family. Darcey-Alden still gives a solid performance, barring some third-act hiccups, and does great during Becca's more emotional moments.

In supporting roles, Cynthia Aileen Strahan brings wit to her thinly written role as Becca's Genre Savvy friend Jackie, while Clark Moore makes for a surprise gem as Gale's ex-husband Tony. While he would initially appear to be the standard "Bastard Ex-Husband" trope, the film allows him to transform into a surprise ally for Gale. It's a small twist that Moore works wonders with to make up for Tony's introductory moments as a womanizing prick. For memorable minor roles, we have Gina Hiraizumi as Detective Davidson (whose character is unfortunately forced to fall into Useless Cop behaviors for the sake of the story) and Angela Nicholas as Gale's almost comedically callous boss Victoria. Victoria's scenes work much better than the film's more overt attempts at comedy through Gale's secondary pool man Kyle (played by Luis Fernandez-Gil). There's also a few other understated moments of humor, with the best being when Gale and Adam's ill-fated tryst is intercut with a scene of Becca gushing about Adam to Jackie.

While Pool Boy Nightmare struggles under the weight of its by-the-book layout and bouts of clunky dialogue, its pace proves consistent enough to remain watchable. The film wisely throws some thrilling moments into the mix to keep you reeled in, leading up to an intense climax that boasts strong action, effectively creepy music (which makes up for the few scenes where the background music becomes overwhelming), and a clever bit of misdirection. Though it may not break new ground for the Lifetime obsession genre and ignores some prime story development opportunities, Pool Boy Nightmare is salvaged by a consistent pace and competent cast. Tanner Zagarino gives an excellent debut portrayal of a fun villain, whose crazy antics are sure to keep you invested whenever the film's protagonists slip into unlikability. Ultimately, it's all enough to keep Pool Boy Nightmare's head above water.

Score: 6 out of 10 ice cream breaks.