Lifeguard (1976)

A lot of fun.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Opening with majestic aerial shots that capture the serene beauty of the beach where the title character works, this low key yet potent drama revolves around a thirtysomething lifeguard who begins to question the viability of the job that he loves amid mounting family pressure and a new girlfriend with a young boy to support. "I still wonder what you're going to be when you grow up" announces the main character's father at an uncomfortable family dinner in which the camera tracks back and forth across the table, perfectly capturing the ease and tension in the air at a key point. Thoughtfully shot as the film may be, and thought-provoking as the screenplay by 'Into the Night' screenwriter Ron Koslow certainly is, the key element that drives the film is Sam Elliott's towering lead performance. The way he simply shyly smiles at many points conveys more than words possibly could and fans of 'The Big Lebowski' will likely be interested to see Elliott younger than ever but still possessing the same very natural charisma. Having fallen into obscurity over the years, 'Lifeguard' is a far from flawless film with the drawn-out montages set to maudlin music the most obvious vice, but most aspects of the film work - even an initially awkward romance that develops between Elliott and a teenage beachgoer set on seducing him. There is a lot to be said about the effectiveness of the final few shots of the film too; while one might not necessarily agree with his decisions by the end of the film, it is easy every step of the way to sympathise with the choices he makes.

LIFEGUARD is one of those movies that stays with you for many years. Even though I never owned a copy of it, I recalled huge chunks of the film ever since I watched it back in 1976.To begin with, LIFEGUARD is a terrific time capsule of what SoCal looked and felt like in the 70's...the cars, the endless roads, the Denny's.Then it's an amazingly crafted character study of 32 yr old RICK (Sam Elliot) who faces the inevitability of aging past his beach boy life and joining the rest of the mind numbed commuters he Vettes past on the way to Hermosa Beach.We begin to see Rick's dilemma in the other characters that enter his world: First up is Chris, a rookie lifeguard representing Rick's younger self...who Rick both mentors and competes with.Then there's Wendy (Kathleen Quinlin's expressive eyes are heartbreaking), the underage girl who causes Rick to lose his very disciplined grip.School chum Larry arrives at the beach and boasts about his Porsche dealership, showing Rick what might have been if he'd taken his opportunities more seriously.Finally, there's ex-sweetheart Cathy (Anne Archer) who Rick reconnects with at the ultimate iconic time passages setting, his high school reunion.All these characters pressure Rick to make a choice, which he finally does. For my money, a very consistent choice after what we've learned about him.One character that I believe has the strongest influence on Rick is the ocean itself. It remains strong and ageless, his longest relationship, and ultimately impossible for him to leave.Sam Elliot made this picture what it is. He transcends some of the lesser skilled players in this thoughtful indie and really carries the story. For what might have been just a late night cable filler, this film is resonant over the past 30 odd years because Sam makes Rick so real.I almost wish Sam could go back and do an updated version, so we might all see what happened to Rick...or perhaps it's best to leave it as the 70's time capsule it remains.

Well, it's not unusual to have a small and cute movie. These are the movies which we pilgrimage to, escaping from Hollywood's big and loud movies. The thing is, this time, it is unusual to have a unique hero; with new solution for his conflict. So how is that ? Simply because this hero we watched didn't eventually choose the teenage girl who materializes his impetuosity for life, as well as his dive into it. And he also didn't choose the mature woman / his old love who materializes rationality and stability. The man preferred to choose his freedom, his self with its own defects. He preferred to work what he really loves, succeeds in, and can't forbid himself of doing (his work as a daily Life Guard at the beach), so maybe he could find someday that love which would harmonize with his status, and not the status which would harmonize with his love ! He is an interesting type of hero, who achieved his victory on circumstances for his invariability. And his very success was nothing but realizing that his happiness and his immutability were one thing, which if he tried to change; he would lose the thing he loved the most : his selfsame, or his precious nature. Although he knew very well that he is losing a lot in the same time "I know that I'm losing.. more than you could imagine !" but he selected not to select anything of what was in front of him.. and that – in itself – is a selection. In fact, we aren't used to watch this kind of heroes in the movies but rarely. That's why this movie isn't small and cute only, but rare too.

I first saw this movie about five years after a miserable divorce. I had worked fifteen years supplying a monster home, Mercedes for her, Jag V12 for me, all for nothing. With everything now gone I saw this film not once but two days in a row. The actors, the plot and the Bee-Gee's background music was almost hypnotic. It helped me change my vocation from being corporate cattle, to one that I love doing. A copy rests in my video library and is viewed regularly. It's 5 star to me.