Lifeguard

Play trailer

Lifeguard

PG,

1976,

1h 36m,

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

53%

19 Reviews

Tomatometer

73%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

53%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

73%

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.

Robert Taylor

Boston Globe

Jun 8, 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

Jun 8, 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

Jun 8, 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, 2025

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, 2025

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)

Aug 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

Dec 26, 2018

Former beach life guard until I was 28 and went back to college. TOTALLY relate.

Hagrid R

Aug 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

Hermione S

Jun 13, 2017

I love the critic who said "this is a nice little movie". Yes, it is.

Hermione S

Jun 7, 2017

7 out of 10: Insanely cheesy but it has some appeal.

Read all reviews

Daniel Petrie

Director

Sam Elliott

Rick Carlson

Anne Archer

Cathy

Kathleen Quinlan

Wendy

Stephen Young

Larry

Parker Stevenson

Chris Randall

Mockingbird Don't Sing

72%

Mockingbird Don't Sing

Watchlist

The Caiman

33%

61%

The Caiman

Watchlist

Land of Plenty

63%

62%

Land of Plenty

Watchlist

Barcelona

82%

80%

Barcelona

Watchlist

The Angel Levine

60%

The Angel Levine

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings