Ridgefield Playhouse Film Society's Lost and Found Film Series to Feature THE LIFEGUARD, Starring Kristen Bell, 2/9

Connecticut -- On Sunday, February 9th at 6:30pm, the Ridgefield Playhouse Film Society "Lost and Found Film Series" presents The Lifeguard. The Lifeguard, a dramedy, is written and directed by former Ridgefielder Liz Garcia. The film stars Kristen Bell, Joshua Harto (actor/producer), Mamie Gummer (Meryl Streep's daughter), Martin Starr and Academy Award winner, Amy Madigan.

In The Lifeguard, a former valedictorian quits her job as a reporter in New York and returns to the place she last felt happy: her childhood home in Connecticut. At age 29, Leigh (Kristen Bell) decides, rather quickly and rather selfishly, to move back in with her parents. She is having an existential crisis and life just hasn't turned out the way that she had hoped it would.

In high school Leigh (Kristen Bell) was a straight "A" student, class valedictorian and spent her summers working as a lifeguard at the local public pool. In real-life she's working as the most junior of reporters at a NYC newspaper, dating the wrong guy and unable to get anybody to take her seriously.

Back in Connecticut, Leigh gets back her old job as a lifeguard and begins to systematically regress to her teen years while dragging her few remaining old friends with her. She hangs out with the crowd of local burnouts and starts a relationship with a troubled teenager, played sensitively and convincingly by recently discovered teen actor Alex Shaffer. The Lifeguard is about trying to recapture youth and simplicity and ultimately failing because youth is, of course, only simple in retrospect.

At the Q&A, The Lifeguard writer/director Liz Garcia, actor/producer Joshua Harto, and producer Mike Landry will be on hand after the screening of the film.

For information and/or to purchase reserved tickets, please go to the Ridgefield Playhouse, online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org or by phone 203-438-5795. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors, and $5.00 for students. The Ridgefield Playhouse is located at 80 East Ridge Ave., Ridgefield, CT.

Photo Credit: Ridgefield Playhouse Film Society