Category Archives: Coast Guard

2016, Action Film, Action Hero, Adventure, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Coast Guard, Docudrama, Drama, Love Story, Sea Rescue, Suspense, True Story

The Finest Hours (2016)

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From IMDB:

The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

Those of you familiar with Cape Cod in Massachusetts may feel a personal connection with this gripping reenactment of a Coast Guard rescue off Chatham harbor. From the Wikipedia article comes this quote:

The Finest Hours is a 2016 American historical disaster drama–thriller film directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, and Eric Bana, and chronicles the true account of the 1952 United States Coast Guard rescue of the SS Pendleton, after it split apart during a nor’easter off the New England coast.[

Do not be put off by the start of the film where Bernie Webber (played by Chris Pines) begins his romance with his wife to be, Miriam (played by Holliday Grainger). Much of the film is involved with this romance.

More than any other theme, the notion of true leadership plays an important part. For the rescue to succeed Bernie Webber risked his life while at times disobeying orders. Equally important was the fact that Ray Sybert (played by Casey Affleck) had to transform himself from a super expert reclusive naval engineer geek into a leader after the tanker split in half.

Try to read the final screen notes, but the Wikipedia article also helps.

Just the harrowing scenes of the rescue  in a raging sea make watching this film an exciting adventure.

2006, Adventure, Coast Guard, Drama, Feel Good Not For Children, Psychological Drama, PTSD, Sea Rescue

The Guardian (2006)

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From NetFlix:

When legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall is appointed to teach at an elite Coast Guard school, he’s compelled to skillfully train and inspire cocky upstart Jake Fischer to excellence, courtesy of some unorthodox coaching methods.

If nothing else, just the sea rescue school sessions fascinated me. Also there are some exciting sea rescue scenes. Costner’s troubled marriage (he is married to sea rescue, the old story) is secondary to the plot.

Costner’s involvement with his student Jake Fischer is fitting, owing to similar past tragedies. One of their discussions could be a real tear-jerker.

Be prepared for one really wild final rescue.

Aston Kutcher (plays Jake Fischer) will play the lead role in the 2013 film “Jobs”. He was 28 during the filming. His film sidekick Brian Geraghty (plays Billy Hodge) played Brian Eller in the TV series “True Blood”. He was 31 during the filming. On the other hand Kevin Costner was 51 during the filming.

Just tell me a good story and I am a happy listener.