The story in this episode is the basic formula - a mentor wanting the student to reach his potential and they become friends, yadda yadda. However, the characters and back stories and love stories make this movie great. The ending was perfect....
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The story in this episode is the basic formula - a mentor wanting the student to reach his potential and they become friends, yadda yadda. However, the characters and back stories and love stories make this movie great. The ending was perfect. This is a movie I would recommend if you want something heartfelt and different - as there are not many movies about the coast guard.

Formulaic though it may be, it was still a heartfelt, feel good/sad movie. I am a Costner fan despite the "bad" films I have to sit through, despite the pretentious air he takes in interviews, and despite the fact that in many of his...
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Formulaic though it may be, it was still a heartfelt, feel good/sad movie. I am a Costner fan despite the "bad" films I have to sit through, despite the pretentious air he takes in interviews, and despite the fact that in many of his movies he winds up alone or dead, emphasizing the self-sacrificing tone of his characters. This movie is no different. There is the older man, teaching the younger generation, teaching them about sacrifice, maturity, bravery, etc., and getting occasionally frustrated in doing it. The older man also has little ties that bind him as his work has encompassed his life and pushed his wife to wayside. A wonderfully raw and honest scene comes when he witnesses a man trying to drown his wife in order to survive. It was natural, human, and so completely "wrong." And yet, you wonder what you would do...would you be willing to sacrifice your life for a loved one, let alone a stranger, in a situation like that. Hence, the purupose of the film. It was an homage to the Coast Guard, to the very people willing to sacrifice simply so "that others may live." It was that scene that packed a powerful punch for the viewer and Costner's character. In a way, he redeems all by sacrificing his own life for his prodigee. Bittersweet for the viewer but heartfelt as well if not completely contrived to evoke just that reaction in the viewer. The DVD extras shows alternate endings but this seems to fit. How else could it end? No wife, no life...I suppose this was the way he would end. But, in true fashion, it wasn't his "end" because, if you believe in said legends (I don't), the legend of him lives on. "There's a legend of a man who lives beneath the sea. He's a fisher of men, a last hope for all those who have been left behind. He is known as the Guardian." As for Ashton's character...he goes off into the sunset with his girlfriend, realizing that love and his own personal life were more important than his career. The acting was fine, on par with their usual work, though it was nice to see Ashton play something other than a goofball. Fine film but make sure to have a few tissues...just in case.

Some people may think this is a standard script about an experienced guy teaching a young rookie the ropes, and technically they are right. However, the way in which a scritps is portrayed counts for a lot and in this case, despite me not being a...
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Some people may think this is a standard script about an experienced guy teaching a young rookie the ropes, and technically they are right. However, the way in which a scritps is portrayed counts for a lot and in this case, despite me not being a big Kevin Costner fan, it's portrayed very well! Both Costner and Kutcher show that they can act in this moving and even realistic movie. Sela Ward, as usual is excellent too, so do not discount this movie simply because of Costner or Kutcher, watch in and be pleasantly surprised.

I skipped it when it came out in the theater thinking it was another crappy Kevin Costner movie. Two days ago I took a chance and rented it. Boy was I surprised at how good this movie was. This has to be the best Kevin Costner movie since Field...
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I skipped it when it came out in the theater thinking it was another crappy Kevin Costner movie. Two days ago I took a chance and rented it. Boy was I surprised at how good this movie was. This has to be the best Kevin Costner movie since Field of Dreams or Dances with Wolfs.