Is Danny DeVito’s Character In ‘Poolman’ A Sneaky ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Reference?

Danny DeVito is co-starring in the upcoming, Chris Pine written/directed/starred mystery comedy movie Poolman, and we only have one question: Does anyone hang dong?

The film is about an eccentric pool cleaner who uncovers a massive water heist à la the neo noir classic Chinatown, but that’s not exactly why we’re interested in it. For his screenwriting and directorial debut, the Star Trek star and action movie A-lister has assembled an impressive supporting cast that includes five-time Academy Award nominee Annette Bening, Fast Times at Ridgemont High star Jennifer Jason Leigh, and, of course, the Trashman himself, Frank Reynolds. Unfortunately, Poolman has already garnered some degrading reviews leading up to its May 10th release date, but it may well be able to court some It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans with a hilarious easter egg that may or may not have been intentional.

Over in the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia subreddit, one fan recently noticed what could be one of the film’s funniest jokes just in the cast list, remarking, “Danny is playing in a new movie called ‘Poolman’ and his characters name is Jack Denisoff.” Let’s hope he isn’t mashing it.

The possible play on words seems to have gone over the heads of critics who drowned Poolman in negativity following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival at the end of last year, with Variety characterizing Pine’s passion project as a “disaster of an L.A. noir.” Critic Owen Gleiberman wrote, “I take no vicious pleasure in saying that Poolman … is not only the worst film I saw during the fall festival season but would likely be one of the worst films in any year it came out.”

As for Jack Denisoff, DeVito's character is Pine’s accomplice and sidekick in cracking the case, helping him film a documentary exposé on the alleged water theft at the center of the plot. Gleiberman said that both DeVito and Leigh are “acting as broadly as they can” in their supporting roles, but he failed to mention whether the film is as derivative of the Paddy’s Pub gang’s take on Lethal Weapon 5 – I mean, the movie’s got Los Angeles, water schemes, Danny DeVito and nobody outside of the people making it seem all that interested? 

All Poolman is really missing is some very unfortunate makeup choices that get it pulled from streaming a decade later.