Lifeguard
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Movie Reviews of Lifeguard
Movie Review: Baywatch with brains, and much more
Summary: 4 Stars
It's amazing to me which films endure and which don't. After 40 years, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" looks like a relic from another era, and it's considered an all-time classic. Yet 30 years after it's release, Daniel Petrie's minor 1976 film "Lifeguard" looks as good now as it did upon its release, and remains as timely and vital as ever, even though noone would consider it a classic of its era.
Actually, on the big screen, "Lifeguard" resembled a glorified TV movie. On TV, however, it looks great, especially in this wonderful widescreen transfer. And it serves as a reminder that sometimes small, heartfelt films with modest aspirations can endure and be effective long after the same era's pretentious and overblown message pictures. "Lifeguard" could be described as "Baywatch" with brains, but its much more than that. How wonderful it is to see a movie set in Southern California and on the beach where the beachgoers look like real people and not surgically-altered superbabes. And although all of the featured lifeguards are men, you get the idea if they hired a woman, she'd look like Alexandra Paul and not Pamela Anderson. Even the women star Sam Elliott gets involved with look like real, average women--future Oscar nominees Kathleen Quinlan and Anne Archer chief among them. Believe me, it's a real treat to watch normal people onscreen for a change.
Elliott stars as Rick, a career lifeguard who is beginning another summer on the beach, with a new assistant/trainee (Parker Stevenson). He befriends a lonely teenager (Quinlan) who has just moved to L.A. from San Diego (and who has an obvious crush on him), has a few one-night stands and meets his parents for dinner, whereas his father lets him know he's tired of his son wasting his life at the beach. This sends him into an early mid-life crisis, especially when an old high school friend who owns a Porsche dealership offers him a "respectable" job selling cars. But it's not until he attends his 15-year high school reunion and reunites with his divorced high school flame Cathy (Archer) that he begins to seriously consider hanging up his trunks for good, especially when Cathy lets him know her interest depends on it. So, obviously, Rick has some serious thinking to do: give up the job he loves for the respectability of a job he doesn't. It's a simple story, but as most simple stories do, it resonates still.
"Lifeguard" is a sweet, even funny movie that will obviously appeal to women, but is also a painless date film. The entire cast is good, with Elliott the obvious standout. Filmed before he matured into the grizzled, tough cop/cowboy/military type he now excels at, it's refreshing to see him play such a regular, flawed guy. My only problem with his character is that he is so level-headed, a decision he makes involving his relationship with Quinlan's character seems completely out of character and even more stupid than it is. Maybe it's because today's morality is so much different than it was then. Either way, it's a jolt. Also, Quinlan is typically wonderful, and Stevenson offers able support as the rookie and Rick's sounding board. Archer, although second-billed, doesn't make her entrance until the second half of the film and then has barely ten minutes screen time. She's professional as always.
The photography and look of the film still look great so many years later, with none of the swimwear or fashions seemingly out-of-date, compared to other eras. And, yes, the song "Time and Tide" by Paul Williams, which was cut out of the TV prints, makes a welcome return, as so many others have noted.
In all, **** (out of *****) for "Lifeguard". Unfortunately, this is a typical no-frills, no-extras presentation from Paramount DVD. But at least they continue to present these old gems in widescreen, so thanks for that.
Movie Review: In 1975...
Summary: 4 Stars
In 1975 this film was released, and at the age of 14 the movie was about everything I wanted to be, or thought I wanted to be, when I grew up. I finally saw it again, thirty years later, time of course changed that, but it's still a nostalgic film, and a very good one at that.
Like a lot of films from that era, there are aspects of it that are dated, especially in it's look, the costumes, hair styles, and attitude. But there's something wondrous about Sam Elliot's character (Rick), and the inner struggle of his character growing older as a lifeguard. And the ending was both revealing, even a little inspiring. So while on the surface, this film might look like Baywatch 70's style, it has way, way more meaning than that.
What's interesting for me is that at 14 I wanted to be the hunky guy who drives a corvette, gets the girls, and is confident, quiet and strong. I never became that, and by the time I was 30, my life, and certainly career, was in a very different direction. But a little part of me still lived that dream. What made watching the film many years later quite interesting is that while I never was a hunky lifeguard, etc. I went through my share of relationships, career changes, and difficulties of aging in a changing world, which made Rick a character I think a lot of us could identify with. That might make this sound like a guy movie, but it's not. It's a good (if a bit old) date film too, and I think a lot of women would like it as well.
The film still looks good, with good cinematography presented in a nice widescreen format, the acting is good, especially Elliot who may surprise some here, and it sounds good. It's too bad there aren't any extras on the DVD. It would have been wonderful to see Elliot, Quinlan, Archer and Stevenson reflect on the film. Along with screenwriter Ron Koslow, and director Daniel Petrie before he passed away.
Movie Review: simple plot, deep impact,story of life choices
Summary: 4 Stars
I was reflecting today on some of the films from the past that were a pleasure to watch, and impacted my viewpoint on life. Two came to mind: "Breezy", the forgotten 1973 film directed by Clint Eastwood, and "Lifeguard".
So I came to Amazon and discovered their DVD release, and good reviews.
I don't think the film was designed to be profound,but sometimes an ostensibly simple storyline succeeds in touching on universal issues;aging in a career,learning about what we want in life vs.what we think we should do, based upon societal or friends' perceptions.As the career lifeguard,Sam Elliot knows that he is "aging" in a traditionally young man's temporary job.
He gets the message from old friends,that it is time to "grow up". An old high school friend,now with a Porsche dealership,offers him a job selling cars.Even 32 years after seeing the film, I remember Sam awkwardly showing up at the dealership(a bright and sunny day, unlike the beach, and probably in the San Fernando Valley),walking into the garish showroom.The viewer cannot help but wonder " is this a better life?".
As in "Breezy", a man looks at his life and what he does,and considers where he wants to go from here on.
Both films deal with timeless issues in different ways, and both stand tall above so many Academy Award recipient films since, which assault us with social messages.
The films experienced little commercial success, and at the time were likely viewed as rather ordinary. But sometimes simplicity has its own elegance, and these films have themes which speak to the viewer of any generation.
I am pleased to see these back on DVD and would highly recommend them for viewing more than once.
Movie Review: Life is a beach
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a little movie that did. It was one of those films that everyone got their big break.
Sam Elliot plays lifelong lifeguard Rick. He's on the wrong side of 30 and still a lifeguard. But according to Rick, it's a job that has great environment, perks and the pay is not that bad.
Rick is at his midlife crisis and in comes an old high school pal who wanted to be a movie star, well now he runs a Porsche dealership. He wants Rick to come work for him. To add to this, he goes to his thirty year high school reunion. When he meets up with any of his old friends, he is embarrassed to tell them he is still a lifeguard. What complicates thing more is that his high school sweetheart is recently divorced. They reunite and things get intense. But she would rather have an affair with a Porsche salesman than a lifeguard.
While many of the actors had television exposure, this was the first big film most of the stars including Elliot, Anne Archer (as the sweetheart), Parker Stevenson (as a lifeguard trainee) and Kathleen Quinlan (as an underage groupie). While this film did not make stars out any of these actors but it gave them exposure. All showed that they had the potential.
Movie Review: it's a love story... I think
Summary: 3 Stars
Yes, Lifeguard is a severely dated film about a lifeguard who has to make a tough decision whether he wants to continue being a lifeguard on the sandy beaches of California, or get a more serious job as a car salesman.
Along the way he falls in love with about 3 different women. Which one will he end up with? You'll have to watch it the entire way through in order to find out... that is, if you don't become bored in the process.
This movie slightly misses the mark in a few area. For one thing, it's not interesting the entire way through. Like many 70's films, the storyline is designed in a way to focus on a handsome lead character (in this case, Sam Elliott). This kind of drives me nuts because there's more to a storyline than simply focusing *constantly* on one star.
It's especially annoying because the camera work follows Sam Elliott's character as he smiles, laughs, becomes angry at something (or someone) etc. This is more a complaint I have with 70's films period. It's like following the lead character around all over the place is supposed to be a good enough substitute for a weak storyline. It's not. As a result, the majority of a movie like Lifeguard feels like complete filler.
What it comes down to however is the fact that the storyline is just really weak. The only truly exciting moments are when Sam's character gets involved in all kinds of weird or dangerous situations at the beach in his lifeguard role. He deals with all kinds of troublemakers and perverts.
I felt this movie just doesn't have a good enough storyline to take up over an hour and a half of playtime. I realize it's a 70's film so we can't expect top of the line storytelling quality, but it most certainly could have been more interesting than this.