Sundance ’13: Kristen Bell Can’t Save ‘The Lifeguard’ from Drowning

I’m a big fan of actress Kristen Bell going all the way back to her days on “Veronica Mars” and her fun role in the under-seen geek movie Fanboys, up to her breakout hit Forgetting Sarah Marshall and more. She has such a great on-screen presence, a natural charm, and is one of the few actresses that can portray perky personalities without being overbearing. But she’s not just a one trick pony: Bell is a solid dramatic actress too (see Spartan and her small part in last year’s Sundance hit Safety Not Guaranteed), but even with her considerable talents, she couldn’t keep the Sundance entry, The Lifeguard, from floundering. Read on! Bell plays Leigh, a New York reporter about to turn thirty. She’s in a secret relationship with a co-worker, but she’s unfulfilled because he’s seeing other people and her stories are often pushed to the side or completely looked over. …