Unfortunately movies about characters adrift and trying to find themselves don't make for good cinema. Kristen Bell's misguided millennial has returned home to pick up her glory days in high school by getting her old lifeguard gig back. Thewestchestarian imagines being a lifeguard at the same small municipal pool everyday must eventually get pretty old and in real life you wouldn't want to slog back through it again for love nor money. Once installed in the tall chair the movie is unclear about what to do with Kristen's character so it introduces others with problems that are at least more comparatively interesting. Her best friend is now an assistant principal whom her old school and her aging husband are trying to tress up with the bounds of responsibility. Her rebellion against real responsibility makes Bell's characters seems fairly inconsequential and thus not really movie-worthy. The very late 20 somethings hanging around - and in some cases doing much more - with the current crop of local teenagers does come across as sort of pervy and a little pathetic. It seems like there are less pedophillc ways to rebel against adulthood. In short, the great American millennial story has yet to be written and this certainly isn't it.

Leigh London, a 29-year-old journalist living in New York, finding that she has become disillusioned with her job and her life in the city, decides to quit and return to the small town where she grew up. (The exact location of her hometown is not made clear, but a reference to "Hartford" suggests it may be in Connecticut). Her father is delighted to see her; her narrow, fault-finding mother much less so. She renews her acquaintance with some old friends and returns to her old job as a lifeguard at the local swimming pool.

While working in this job she meets, and becomes friends with, a teenage boy named Little Jason. Before long Leigh and Little Jason are more than just good friends; they have become lovers and started a passionate affair. The film then follows all the complications which ensue from this illicit relationship, complications which involve not just Leigh and Jason but several other people as well.

Most of those on this board who have criticised this film have done so on the alleged basis that it "glorifies paedophilia". I would disagree with that criticism for two reasons. The first is that those making it fail to realise that "paedophilia" means "sexual attraction towards pre- pubescent children", and there is no way Little Jason could be regarded as pre-pubescent; he is supposed to be around 17, but David Lambert was actually 21 at the time. (His nickname "Little" does not imply that he is a young child or even that he is particularly diminutive- indeed, he is a tall, gangly youth- but he is so called in order to distinguish him from his father, Big Jason). The second is that this film is far too dreary to glorify anything.

"The Lifeguard", in fact, is the sort of pseudo-intellectual indie movie which is so dreary that it makes you realise that there is sometimes something to be said for the most mindless Hollywood mega-blockbuster. All the characters seem to exist in a permanent state of depression, although the causes of their low spirits are not always made clear. We never really learn just why Leigh is so disillusioned with life in the Big Apple, although as she has own a prestigious prize for journalism lack of success or recognition in her chosen profession cannot be the answer. One character is, quite literally, driven to suicide by the failure of a project to relocate to Vermont. Just why small-town life in Connecticut is apt to bring on a state of suicidal depression which can only be cured by immediate relocation to the other side of the State line is something I leave to those more familiar with New England than I am. Although I suspect that even they will be baffled.

None of the actors stand out apart from the actress playing Leigh's friend Mel who stands out because of her resemblance to a young Meryl Streep. (There is a long subplot involving Mel's failure to conceive a child, much to her husband's frustration). Upon looking at the cast list I noted that she was played by Meryl's daughter Mamie Gummer. All I can say is that Ms Gummer has some way to go before she can match the standards of her famous parent.

The poster for this film, showing its star Kristen Bell looking very fetching in a red swimsuit, might lead the unwary to think it has something to do with "Baywatch". It hasn't, apart from the fact that its main character is a female lifeguard. I suppose you could describe it as "Baywatch" meets Samuel Beckett, existential angst in a red swimsuit. It is an indie movie for those who hate indie movies, but only if they need to be reminded just why they hated them in the first place. 3/10

Leigh London (Kristen Bell) is 29 and ten months old. She's a reporter in NYC. She feels lost and moves back in with her parents (Amy Madigan). She reconnects with her school friends Mel (Mamie Gummer) and Todd (Martin Starr). Mel is the high school vice-principal and struggling to get pregnant. Todd is still in the closet. Leigh gets her old lifeguard job at the pool. She befriends pool maintenance guy's teenage son Little Jason (David Lambert) and they become more.

I really love Mamie Gummer and her struggles. I like Martin Starr also and his story could be expanded. Kristen Bell's story is probably the least interesting of the three. I still like her but it's not like she's having a grand romance. It would be better to have more time with Gummer and Starr. It takes too long having sexy time with Bell and Lambert. I didn't think it was that type of movie. There is also the character Matt. He is a big part of the ending. He should have been a much bigger part of the story. The movie should spends more time with him than the little section with Todd. He should be a bigger character. Both Matt and Little Jason are not particularly compelling. I love the three main actors but this isn't quite special enough.