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Lifeguard

Play trailer Poster for Lifeguard PG 1976 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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53% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Southern California lifeguard Rick Carlson (Sam Elliott) has a real passion for his work, but, when he attends a high school reunion, he begins to feel that his peers have accomplished more than he has. He begins a romance with his former sweetheart, Cathy (Anne Archer), who is now a single mother with a young son. As their relationship progresses, Rick becomes even more confused about his life choices, and he starts to wonder if he should leave the beach behind and become a white-collar man.
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Lifeguard

Critics Reviews

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Robert Taylor Boston Globe 06/08/2021
As a bronze Apollo, the lifeguard is heroically beautiful, as a sentient being he is impossibly dumb. Nothing plus nothing equals nothing. Go to Full Review Susan Stark Detroit Free Press 06/08/2021
The most Interesting thing about "Lifeguard" is the sight of Sam Elliott, who plays the title character. Go to Full Review Perry Stewart Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com 06/08/2021
The film, like its title character, is charming and unassuming - making no pretense of eloquence or importance, yet achieving both. Go to Full Review Brian Orndorf Blu-ray.com Mar 9
B
"Lifeguard" is uneven at times, but when it attempts to grasp the struggles of the main character and his emotional battles, it finds interesting places to go, boosted by fine acting from star Sam Elliott. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Mar 2
3/4
Promoted by Paramount as a goofy sex comedy, Lifeguard is instead a serious, pensive film. Go to Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 08/11/2023
[Daniel] Petrie almost allows the sensibility to drown the film, but his ability as a director maintains it afloat. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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CodyZamboni Z 09/01/2024 Solid comedy drama. Sam Elliot really loves being a lifeguard. Considers what else he can do with this life. Nice supporting cast, Anne Archer, and Parker Stevenson, See more 10/22/2019 Because it remind me of back in the day See more 12/26/2018 Former beach life guard until I was 28 and went back to college. TOTALLY relate. See more 08/18/2017 Love this movie, saw it as a kid and thought lifeguard was greatest job, modeled young adulthood after movie, saw it again later as an adult....damn did miss the point of the movie when I was a kid See more 06/13/2017 I love the critic who said "this is a nice little movie". Yes, it is. See more 06/07/2017 7 out of 10: Insanely cheesy but it has some appeal. See more Read all reviews
Lifeguard

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Cast & Crew

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Daniel Petrie

Director

Sam Elliott

Rick Carlson

Anne Archer

Cathy

Kathleen Quinlan

Wendy

Stephen Young

Larry

Parker Stevenson

Chris Randall

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Lifeguard

Lifeguard (1976) Lifeguard (1976) Lifeguard (1976) Lifeguard (1976) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Southern California lifeguard Rick Carlson (Sam Elliott) has a real passion for his work, but, when he attends a high school reunion, he begins to feel that his peers have accomplished more than he has. He begins a romance with his former sweetheart, Cathy (Anne Archer), who is now a single mother with a young son. As their relationship progresses, Rick becomes even more confused about his life choices, and he starts to wonder if he should leave the beach behind and become a white-collar man.
Director
Daniel Petrie
Producer
Ron Silverman
Screenwriter
Ron Koslow
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 23, 1976, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 24, 2016
Runtime
1h 36m
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