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Summary

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.

Cast

Kevin Costner

Ben Randall

Ashton Kutcher

Jake Fischer

Sela Ward

Helen Randall

Melissa Sagemiller

Emily Thomas

Dulé Hill

Ken Weatherly

Bryce Cass

Manny

Omari Hardwick

Carl Billings

Clancy Brown

Capt. William Hadley

Neal McDonough

Jack Skinner

Benny Ciaramello

Benny Partida

Shelby Fenner

Cate Lindsey

Peter Gail

Danny Doran

Damon Lipari

Damon Bennett

Scott Mueller

Scott Reeves

Travis Willingham

Travis Finely

Eric Norris

Navy Guy

John Heard

Capt. Frank Larson

Richard T. Henry

Camael

Alex Daniels

Wild Bill

Daniel J. Molthen

Co-Pilot Wakefield

Andrew Schanno

Pilot Mitchell

Adam Pena

Benjamin Reyes

Joe Arquette

Co-Pilot Antunez

Gary Billburg

Julian Zankich

Joshua Mitcheltree

Mitcheltree

Rusty Tennant

Mover #1

James Barnes

Doctor #1

Stephanie Barnes

Doctor #2

Andrea Martynowski

Ops Commander

Ron Fien

Wickham

Nevada Smith

Co-Pilot Krauss

Jay Bingham

Ops Tech

Keith Sweitzer

Whaley

Shane Walker

Swimmer Nelson

Joseph Blythe

Butch Flythe

Robert E. Watson

Robert Watson

John F. Hall

John Hall

Johnell Gainey

Johnell Lewis

Jeff Loftus

Executive Officer

Brian Geraghty

Billy Hodge

Michael Rady

Nick Zingaro

Brian Patrick Wade

Mitch Lyons

El Raziel

Benny Partida

Matt Laub

Matt Stokes

Matthew L. Rucker

Matthew Bunch

Tanica Jamison

Tanica Treadwell

Paul Wallace

Paul Metz

Tilky Jones

Tilky Flint

Megan Melgaard

Megan Hyde

Jacob Stevens

Jacob Pavich

Austin Lash

Austin Vogel

Mark Gangloff

Mark Colby

Gregory J. Barnett

Pilot Victim

Kenny G. Krauss

Groom

Gioacchino Brucia

Waiter

J.D. Evermore

Jailer

Bonnie Bramlett

Maggie McGlone

Richard Davis

Guitar - Chicago Catz

Brandon Molale

Navy Guy

Thomas Rosales Jr.

Cargo Crew

Roger Edwards

Roger Cable

Conrad E. Palmisano

Fishing Boat Captain

Ray Donn

Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Andrew Davis

Screenplay

Ron L. Brinkerhoff

Reviews

RalphRahal

February 2, 2025

The Guardian starts off strong with an engaging introduction that pulls you into the world of elite rescue swimmers. The setup is solid, and the first act does a great job establishing the stakes. But once the second act kicks in, the momentum slows down as the focus shifts almost entirely to training sequences. While these moments have some depth and character development, they drag on too long, making the story feel repetitive. The plot itself follows a familiar formula, and while it has emotional weight, it doesn’t bring much originality. It feels like it’s trying to be Top Gun for the Coast Guard but without the same energy or unpredictability.

That said, the movie is well-executed on a technical level. The cinematography captures the intensity of ocean rescues with some visually striking sequences. The direction is solid, and the pacing is decent. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher both deliver strong performances, with Costner bringing a grounded, believable presence to his role. The script is good overall, even if some parts feel a bit too by-the-numbers. The score and sound design do their job well, adding tension and emotion where needed. It’s a well-made movie, but the plot didn’t fully deliver for me.