Months Before Marty Supreme, Odessa A’zion Led An Underrated Movie Similar To This Controversial A24 Cult Classic

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Even after two months in theaters, Marty Supreme continues to attract audiences who are captivated by Josh Safdie’s skillful handling of intense energy and what many consider Timothée Chalamet’s strongest performance to date. Surprisingly, despite lacking the typical underdog story found in most sports movies, Marty Supreme perfectly captures the nail-biting tension of a professional table tennis match.

Timothée Chalamet’s recent film benefited from a marketing strategy that highlighted him and the exciting image he created for the role. This showed he could become a major movie star, much like Tom Cruise. However, Chalamet wasn’t the only standout performer; his co-star, Odessa A’zion, has also gained significant recognition thanks to her work in Marty Supreme.

While it’s a shame A’zion wasn’t nominated for an Oscar, her powerful and raw performance alongside Chalamet has definitely established her as a major talent, regardless of awards. She’s not exactly unknown either – A’zion has been steadily working as an actress since 2018, and her work from just last year is a perfect place to start if you want to see what she’s capable of.

Odessa A’zion Is The Lead Actress In 2025’s Pools

In early 2025, A’zion played the role of Kennedy in the film Pools, which marked Sam Hayes’ first time directing a feature-length movie. Kennedy is a student who’s in trouble with school because she often skips class and is at risk of being expelled. She prioritizes pleasure and fun, which has negatively impacted both her grades and how teachers view her.

Facing a serious warning that could derail her future, Kennedy resolves to change her behavior. But first, she decides to let loose one last time and invites three classmates to join her for a late-night swim in the pools of a wealthy neighborhood near campus.

Odessa A’zion gained attention for her role in the HBO Max series I Love LA, but she truly shines as the lead in Pools. The film follows Kennedy, a free-spirited character who goes through a night of significant personal growth, and A’zion expertly portrays her subtle and believable transformation.

Pools Shares Themes With Spring Breakers

While Pools develops its characters well, the most striking aspect of the film is its beautiful visual style. The blue-toned colors and constant sound of laughter almost glamorize the characters’ questionable actions, mirroring the gentle waves and shimmering water in the numerous pools throughout the movie.

The atmosphere in Pools – with students swinging between feeling great and feeling down during a wild, alcohol-fueled night – strongly echoes the typical American college spring break experience. This reckless energy is similar to what you see in A24’s 2012 film Spring Breakers, which sharply divided critics – some loved it, others hated it.

Spring Breakers is a film about four college students who get into trouble with drugs, alcohol, and crime during their spring break trip. While some critics praised the movie for its look at violence and power between genders, others strongly disliked how it depicted women and the excessive sexualization of the young female characters.

The fact that both Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez started their careers on Disney made their roles in the movie Spring Breakers especially interesting and sparked a lot of debate. While some people have discussed the film’s possible feminist themes over the last thirteen years, it’s now mostly remembered for the controversy it caused.

Pools Is Not Cynical Like Spring Breakers

Fans of Spring Breakers might notice that the characters in Pools also feel a bit lost, but the two films are very different in how they feel. Spring Breakers tries to be a satire, but it’s ultimately quite pessimistic. Pools, on the other hand, is generally uplifting and reassuring, even when dealing with difficult emotions.

While Spring Breakers is often hailed as one of the best films of the 21st century, its companion piece, Pools, doesn’t receive the same praise. However, Pools is a more hopeful film, ending with a positive outlook for the characters. Had Pools been slightly stronger in its dramatic moments, it could have demonstrated that the excessive objectification in Spring Breakers wasn’t actually needed to tell a similar story.

Pools Can Also Become A Cult Classic

Although Spring Breakers isn’t a perfect film, it’s become a beloved cult classic and was a breakout success for A24. Given how the film launched the careers of its stars and considering the current controversies surrounding James Franco, it’s clear why the movie’s enduring popularity is connected to some difficult conversations.

The movie Pools could become a beloved classic, largely because of its well-known actors. Ariel Winter hasn’t received as much attention since Modern Family ended, despite her popularity on that show. Mason Gooding has gained a strong following in independent films, and Odessa A’zion is poised for even greater success in the future.

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2026-02-20 02:39