CAR POOL
US, 1996, 89 minutes, Colour.
Tom Arnold, David Paymer, Rhea Perlman, Rod Steiger, Kim Coates, Rachael Leigh Cook.
Directed by Arthur Hiller.
Car Pool is a rather raucous comedy. It focuses on Tom Arnold as a carnival manager in need of money to support his circus acts. It also focuses on David Paymer as an advertising executive, whose wife is sick, and who has to take the car pool of obstreperous children to school. They all get involved in a hold-up at a store and Arnold gets the money, takes Paymer and the children and their van as hostages. Much of the film is the chase by the police (especially Kim Coates and then Rhea Perlman as a meter maid). They crash through everything in sight including footpaths, supermarkets and malls. The children enjoy this kind of hostage activity and crashes. Ultimately, there are plenty of family values as Paymer learns from Arnold about what it is to be a loving parent and present for his children’s growing up. The culmination is a meeting with the manager-owner of a restaurant chain, played by Rod Steiger. There is a happy ending with Paymer as a more humane father, Arnold with his carnival restored and Steiger selling doughnuts in clown’s gear in the carnival. Direction is by Arthur Hiller who made a great range of films including Love Story but who, at the end of his career, made films like this and Burn Hollywood, Burn.
1. Entertaining slapstick comedy? Children? Hold-ups? Chases? Family values?
2. City life, the streets and suburbs, offices? Supermarkets and malls? The action sequences, the chases? Musical score?
3. The title – as a jumping-off point for the people to be involved in the comedy and action?
4. The focus on Daniel Miller, his sick wife? Being busy, his presentation, taking the children in the van, picking up the other children, Travis playing tricks, the young girl and her delay, Kayla as the teenager, and his son being attracted to her? His son Andrew? Their driving, awkwardness, criticisms? Their going to the restaurant against the children’s wishes? His going inside, his being in a hurry, the hold-up?
5. The focus on Franklin, his raucous mother? The carnival, the people in the acts and their dependence on him? His comments about carnivals and political correctness? In the store, wanting doughnuts, the hold-up, losing his wallet?
6. The criminals and the hold-up, the old lady with the gun, the different guns, the attendant and his fastidiousness, giving the money to Franklin? The police arriving, the escape?
7. Franklin and his decision to take the money, driving the van, the interactions with Daniel? His genial side, enjoying taking hostages? The kids and their reaction? Daniel and his desperation to get to the meeting? Their crashes, Andrew wanting to go to the toilet, the hairdressers, Daniel phoning his boss who did not understand, Franklin and his terrible mother ringing? The further chase, the ticket from the meter maid, her pursuit? In the van, arriving at the mall, the chase through the mall? The various slapstick aspects? Franklin being held up, Daniel taking the van, the escape? Their going to Franklin’s place, the carnival gear? The arrival of the hold-up men? The ferris wheel, Daniel rescuing his son, the fight?
8. Erdman, his misinterpreting everything, his desperate chase, taking the cars, the encounter with Martha, the fact that he had jilted her? Their continued pursuit? His desperation?
9. The presentation, the failure of the deputy, Mr Hammerman and his disgust, leaving? His liking the children, his upset about the hostage-taking, meeting everyone, hearing their ideas about children, the future? His giving his budget to Daniel?
10. The finale, the carnival, Daniel with his children, Franklin and his running the carnival, the children and their enjoyment, Mr Hammerman in the clown’s gear and selling the doughnuts?
