The Guardian (2006)

A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's "A" School, where legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writer:

Ron L. Brinkerhoff

Stars:

Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Sela Ward

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Costner	...	Ben Randall
Ashton Kutcher	...	Jake Fischer
Sela Ward	...	Helen Randall
Melissa Sagemiller	...	Emily Thomas
Clancy Brown	...	Capt. William Hadley
Omari Hardwick	...	Carl Billings
Alex Daniels	...	Wild Bill
Daniel J. Molthen	...	Co-Pilot Wakefield (as Lcdr. Daniel J. Molthen USCG)
Andrew Schanno	...	Pilot Mitchell (as Lt. Andrew Schanno USCG)
Adam Pena	...	Benjamin Reyes
Joe Arquette	...	Co-Pilot Antunez
Gary Billburg	...	Julian Zankich (as PO1 Gary Billburg USCG)
Joshua Mitcheltree	...	Mitcheltree (as PO2 Joshua Mitcheltree USCG)
Rusty Tennant	...	Mover #1
James Barnes	...	Doctor #1

Storyline

Ben Randall is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. When his crew is killed in an accident and his marriage ends, his commander tells him he wants Randall to go to the US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer "A" School to train other rescue swimmers. He encounters a guy named Jake who's a little cocky because he was once a swim champion. So Ben puts him through the wringer to see if he can handle it.

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Plot Keywords:

u.s. coast guard | rescue | swimmer | team | training | 

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Taglines:

Risk Everything

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Coast Guard A school for rescue swimmers is not at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, but Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

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Goofs

The navy chiefs at the bar are missing their ribbons and warfare badges on their khaki uniforms.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Capt. William Hadley: There is a legend of a man who lives beneath the sea. He is a fisher of men, the last hope of all those who have been left behind. Many survivors claim to have felt his gripping hands beneath them; pushing them up to the surface; whispering strength until help could arrive. But this, of course, is only a legend.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movie Drownings (2014)

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Soundtracks

So Lovely
Written by Richard Davis, Neil Artwick and Colby Beserra
Performed by Colby Beserra

User Reviews

The film that didn't know when to stop

There's a point in 'The Guardian' where it reaches its logical conclusion and I expected the credits to roll and was mentally ready to leave, but they didn't and another section which could have ended the film followed, with another two after that.

Ostensibly a recruiting film for the US Coastguard, 'The Guardian' works best when Costner is trying to get through to Kutcher just as others had tried with Tom Cruise in previous films. The 'Top Gun' meets 'An Officer and a Gentleman' via 'Men of Honor' ninety minute training section of the film works well and is entertaining, but when this is over it really drags.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Guardian

Filming Locations:

Kodiak, Alaska, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$18,006,064, 1 October 2006

Gross USA:

$55,011,732

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$94,973,540

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Beacon Pictures, Contrafilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1