Review of Lifeguard

Lifeguard (I) (1976)
10/10
A Heartfelt Character Study
10 January 2005
Is life-guarding a grown-up job? What does it mean to be a grownup, anyway? Who decides how people should spend their lives?

These are among the questions examined in this beautifully written character study of a man who has decisions to make.

They're not issues that will change the world, but the kind of small decisions we wrestle with every day. What is really important? Why do we do what we do? Who influences how we behave? Should we conform because that's what people want of us?

I remember once in TV Guide an ad that showed a buffed-out Sam Elliott with the caption, "He's every woman's dream--Lifeguard!" But this film has nothing to do with looks, and everything to do with character.

It's a terrific piece of work, ringing true in scene after scene.
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