'The Lifeguard' is highly recommended
for all
Drama.
Not Rated. 1 hour, 40 minutes.
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| Movie
still credit: John Peters |
Kristen
Bell in Attic Light Films' "The Lifeguard" - 2013
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"The Lifeguard"
was the second film that I saw at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
The movie made its world premiere at the Library Center Theatre
in Park City, Utah on Saturday, Jan. 19.
Kristen Bell stars
as Leigh, a reporter for the Associated Press, in New York City.
The film opens with a shot of her doing a story about endangered
animals. Leigh told her editor that her story was really important
and that it should go on the front page, but he disagrees. Instead,
it got printed somewhere in the middle of the newspaper.
Next, Leigh took some
time off from her job and went back to her childhood home in Connecticut.
She got her old high school job back--being a lifeguard. During
the whole movie, only a few people swam in the pool. It was just
her mostly sitting on a chair in a bathing suit. Occasionally,
we saw Leigh using the net to get leaves out of the water. It's
hard for me to imagine how that could be a better job than being
a reporter.
Meanwhile, time went
by and her editor sent her a text message: "If you do not
return in two weeks, consider your job terminated." Leigh
never responded to the text messages and kept on lifeguarding.
Three teenage boys,
who dressed in Gothic style, showed up at the pool. One of them
was Little Jason (played by David Lambert), who is the son of
Big Jason, the manager of the pool. Leigh started talking to Little
Jason and they formed a relationship. Several times throughout
the film, we see Leigh and Little Jason having sex.
Later on, Leigh gets
a text message from her boss that one of her articles is in the
running for a journalism award. She submits all of the required
documents for the prize. Then, we find out that Leigh wins the
award and the $1,000 cash prize to go with it. You'll have to
see the movie to find out what she does with the winnings.
I was interested in
seeing this film for two reasons. First, Kristen Bell is a native
Detroiter who grew up in Huntington Woods, Mich. Secondly, she
starts out as a reporter, which is my current occupation.
Also starring in this
movie are John Finn (who plays Big Jason), Lisa Ann Goldsmith
(who plays Matt's Mom), Mamie Gummer (who plays Mel), Cody Hartman
(who plays the Sullen teenager), Joshua Harto (who plays John)
and Ally Hydeman (who plays Lumpy's girlfriend).
Liz W. Garcia made
her directing debut with this film. Previously, she was a writer
and producer of TV shows like "Dawson's Creek," "Cold
Case," and "Memphis Beat." Filming took place for
21 days in Sewickley, Penn., outside the Pittsburgh metro area
and for one day in New York City. It is not yet rated because
the MPAA hasn't had a chance to give it one.
"The Lifeguard"
was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic category
at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. However, it did not win. A
theatrical deal has not been announced, but it will definitely
be available on DVD in the next few months.
I really enjoyed this
movie. There was lots of activity going on in the beginning and
at the end. I gave it an 'A-' because the middle part of the movie
was a little slow. It didn't make me fall asleep, but I'm sure
a few people did.
OVERALL RATING:
A-
For more information
about "The Lifeguard," visit the official website at
www.lifeguardmovie.com
and the official Facebook
page.
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| PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
Inside
the Eccles Theatre for "The Lifeguard" screening on
Jan. 25, 2013.
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| PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
"I
was a lifeguard in high school," Garcia said. "I would
sort of spy on people. The town I grew up in was preppy and conservative."
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| PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
"Use
what leverage you have at your own agency," the director
said of the casting process. "They opened the gates to Kristen.
She likes it, 'Yay.' The only person cast through an audition
is David Lambert, who played Little Jason."
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