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The Guardian
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 The Guardian Production NotesTagline: How do you decide who lives and who dies?
A famed Coast Guard Rescue swimmer (Kevin Costner) is re-assigned to teach at the legendary Coast Guard A School and inspires one cocky rookie (Ashton Kutcher) to learn the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice.
After losing his crew in a fatal crash, legendary Rescue Swimmer, Ben Randall (Kevin Costner), is sent to teach at "A" School, an elite training program for Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Wrestling with the loss of his crew members, he throws himself into teaching, turning the program upside down with his unorthodox training methods.
While there, he encounters a young, cocky swim champ, Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), who is driven to be the best. During training, Randall helps mold Jake's character, combining his raw talent with the heart and dedication required of a Rescue Swimmer. Upon graduation, Jake follows Randall to Kodiak, Alaska, where they face the inherent dangers of the Bering Sea. In his initial solo rescue, Jake learns firsthand from Randall, the true meaning of heroism and sacrifice, echoing the Swimmer's motto..."So Others May Live!"
About the Production
From Andrew Davis, the director of the action-adventure classic “The Fugitive,” and starring Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher and a cast of veteran and breakout stars comes The Guardian, a riveting, white-knuckle story of hardcore courage and selfless sacrifice set inside the never-before-seen world of Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers - a special breed of men and women who risk their lives against the biggest storms and most monstrous waves in service to the motto: “So that others may live!” Previously seen by most Americans only as the unsung, daredevil heroes who saved thousands in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's deadly floods, the lives and teamwork of Rescue Swimmers come to the fore in this heart-stopping adventure.
As The Guardian begins, legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall (Costner) becomes the sole survivor of a deadly crash at the height of a massive storm. In the wake of the accident, he is sent against his will to teach at “A” School - the elite training program that turns arrogant young recruits into the best and bravest of Rescue Swimmers. Reeling with grief and regret, Ben throws himself into teaching the only way he knows how, turning the entire program upside down with his unconventional, out-of-the-box training methods.
But Ben understands exactly what's at stake -he knows that his students will one day have to make tough decisions between who dies and who lives. When he knocks heads with the cocky swimming champ, Jake Fischer (Kutcher), Ben sees someone with what it takes to be the best of the best - if only he can combine his raw talent with the heart and dedication necessary and avoid the mistakes that Ben himself has made. Heading out on his first treacherous mission, to the fierce, turbulent waters of Alaska's Bering Sea, Jake will have to put all that he's learned into action as he discovers just what it means to truly risk everything.
The film was created with the Coast Guard's full cooperation, utilizing true-life rescue heroes as advisors and as part of the cast. In a production that was itself constantly battling weather and the elements - and which was designed around a massive, innovative wave tank that simulated the wild, rolling waves of the open ocean - The Guardian provides some of the most viscerally realistic scenes of water rescue yet seen on film.
Introducing the Unsung Heroes of the Sea
There are many kinds of heroes in this world. There are the well-known lifesavers we encounter everyday - firefighters, policeman and doctors - and then there are those who work mainly in the shadows, who will risk anything and everything to save total strangers under the most extreme and rare of circumstances. In this category are the Coast Guard's extraordinary but little known Rescue Swimmers. These brave men and women are an elite few possessing the uncommon physical and mental fortitude to free-fall from helicopters directly into raging seas and massive storm-floods to rescue those in harm's way, no matter the costs.
 Though rarely celebrated publicly, the Coast Guard saves in the vicinity of 5,000 lives and $2.5 billion worth of property in an average year - and during the devastating 2005 hurricane season, they rescued or evacuated an estimated 33,520 people in the Gulf States ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.The teeth-gritting training program of the Rescue Swimmers is considered the toughest in all of the military - with nearly 50% of those who enter dropping out. And for those remarkable few who actually make it, what lies ahead are perilous missions in the darkest, coldest, roughest waters known to humankind, where they must battle disorientation, exhaustion, hypothermia and lack of oxygen while trying to help the stranded, the panicked and those who have given up all hope.
In just 20 years of existence, the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer program has become one of the most respected in the entire military profession. The Rescue Swimmer program was first mandated by Congress in 1984, after a cargo ship tragically lost 31 crew members to stormy waters on the Eastern Seaboard with only one courageous but out-matched Naval helicopter unit to assist. Since then, the Rescue Swimmer program - the only one of its kind open to both men and women - has developed into a crack unit called upon whenever disasters involving high water strike.
Yet their code of quiet bravery has meant that their stories have rarely been told. Many Americans had never seen them in action until the unforgettable news-clips of helicopters plucking victims from the rooftops and floodwaters of New Orleans. Now The Guardian story of a legendary Rescue Swimmer passing his torch to the next generation, brings out the heart of what makes Rescue Swimmers so fascinating: the indomitable human drive to help others.
The film's genesis began when screenwriter Ron L. Brinkerhoff was inspired to write a movie that would explore the nature of heroism, but was in search of a fresh approach. “Cops and firemen have been done over and over, but the world of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer program had never been explored on screen,” he explains. “What I found most compelling is that the Coast Guard is the only branch of the military whose mandate is entirely to save lives . . . not take them.”
After beginning his research, Brinkerhoff decided to focus his screenplay on two men - one a revered veteran of fabled deep-water rescues nearing retirement, the other a bold, brash, self-assured young man just starting his training - and explore how bravery and wisdom are gained through their intense experiences. “In approaching the story, I wanted to kind of deconstruct the quintessential action hero,” says Brinkerhoff “I wanted to highlight the physical, psychological and emotional toll this kind of profession takes and underline the remarkable sacrifices ultimately required of them as human beings.”
Early on, Brinkerhoff brought the idea to producers Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn at Contrafilm, who coincidentally had themselves also been considering the world of Rescue Swimmers as the setting for a future film. “We were excited about the idea of combining dramatic human moments with a big action canvas,” says Vinson. “We also wanted to peel back the question of what makes a hero and ask why does somebody do this and what price do they pay. In looking at that, it makes these guys seem even more heroic.”
Before going any further with development, Vinson and Flynn went directly to the Coast Guard for their blessing- knowing their unalloyed support would be absolutely key to bringing a visceral authenticity and heart to the production. “We pitched the Coast Guard before we even pitched Disney,” notes Vinson. “The Coast Guard was integral to this movie and we wanted to make sure they were completely behind us. Ultimately, they invited us into their training facilities, offered up their personnel to us, helped us acquire equipment and the list goes on and on. I can't say enough about how supportive and inspirational they have been.”
Also coming on board were executive producers Armyan Bernstein, Charlie Lyons and Zanne Devine of Beacon Communications, one of the film industry's most successful independent production companies, with a keen eye for strong material; and later, executive producer Peter Macgregor-Scott, widely acknowledged as one of the most skilled hands-on producers for complex productions, who has previously worked with Andrew Davis on three films, including the runaway hit “The Fugitive.”
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Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Costner in The Guardian.
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