Pleasure Beach is the story of two lifeguards, one gay, one straight. Their friendship is platonic, though Todd, the gay one, wishes it were not.

Unable to clear his head through casual sex, Larry reads through his letters to Richard, his older lover set to be released from prison.

Brutally abused by his parents, teenage Thomas finds comfort in associating with a film director who is making a documentary about physical child abuse. The two fall in love, and the elder is faced with the decision of either running away with Thomas or focusing on his career and thereby letting the boy possibly be beaten to death.