Kristen Bell is Leigh, a 29 year old reporter living in New York who suddenly realizes how unhappy she is with her life. Leaving everything behind, she hits the road to return to the small town she grew up in, moves back in with her parents and starts working as a lifeguard.
What could have been a fun comedy about hard working adults trying to go back to being carefree, irresponsible teenagers instead plays out as a bad dramatic comedy that is neither funny or emotionally moving. It's hard to tell whether the screenplay was written by someone who had no idea what they were trying to do or if most of the film is improvised. Kristen Bell seems like a real-life sweetheart and does a good job playing lost and somewhat depressed but it is not any fun or insightful to watch. We are not given any reason to like her character, who comes off as a selfish, lazy spoiled brat.
About half-way through the film takes a turn from boring to morally questionable as the story becomes something you'd find in a soft-core pornographic paperback romance novel. The director tries to play it as sexy but it's just plain uncomfortable. Exactly how much of a selfish spoiled brat Leigh is, as a character, is made clear. Unless you're an older woman with a lust for teenage boys, it's hard not to grow a hate for the character and loose all respect for the film.
The Lifeguard sounds like a good idea for an indie comedy but all potential is lost in the execution and where the writer/director decides to take the story. You're better off picking up a trashy romance novel at your local grocery store.
What could have been a fun comedy about hard working adults trying to go back to being carefree, irresponsible teenagers instead plays out as a bad dramatic comedy that is neither funny or emotionally moving. It's hard to tell whether the screenplay was written by someone who had no idea what they were trying to do or if most of the film is improvised. Kristen Bell seems like a real-life sweetheart and does a good job playing lost and somewhat depressed but it is not any fun or insightful to watch. We are not given any reason to like her character, who comes off as a selfish, lazy spoiled brat.
About half-way through the film takes a turn from boring to morally questionable as the story becomes something you'd find in a soft-core pornographic paperback romance novel. The director tries to play it as sexy but it's just plain uncomfortable. Exactly how much of a selfish spoiled brat Leigh is, as a character, is made clear. Unless you're an older woman with a lust for teenage boys, it's hard not to grow a hate for the character and loose all respect for the film.
The Lifeguard sounds like a good idea for an indie comedy but all potential is lost in the execution and where the writer/director decides to take the story. You're better off picking up a trashy romance novel at your local grocery store.