Movie Review: 'Charlie St.Cloud'

When I found out that Charlie St.Cloud opened at the 5th spot at the box office this weekend I was unsurprised. I mean lets face it, how many people are rushing to the theater to see a boy play catch with his dead brother? Zac Efron plays Charlie, who after witnessing his little brother Sam die in a car accident (Charlie was driving), is still able to see and interact with him every day for an hour before sundown, keeping the promise he made days before his death to play catch with him every night. Then Tess (Amanda Crew) comes into his life, and Charlie must choose between keeping his promise to Sam and going after the girl he's quickly falling in love with.

Yes, I know that every guy (and probably a good amount of girls) are rolling their eyes while reading this. The plot may seem endlessly cheesy, but really, its not the plot that needed altering, its the way the movie handled it. An adaptation of the Ben Sherwood novel "The Death and Life of Charlie St.Cloud", I can tell you that the novel is a beautiful, life-affirming story, one in which the movie desperately tried to portray. It was a solid effort, but for some reason, whether it was because of the overly dramatic music, the constant use of bursts of light on the screen (yeah we get it, we're dealing with the afterlife here) or the lack of development of Sam's character, the supernatural aspect of the story felt shmaltzy and forced. People like me who cry at sappy commercials will be bawling throughout, but not because of the competency of the film, but more because of the subject matter, and what may be a surprise to some, Zac Efron's wonderful performance. I'm tired of hearing critics rag on him because of his "pretty boy looks"...he's a great looking guy, and destined to be a heartthrob because of those eyes, but he also has the acting chops to back it up. He is no longer just that guy singing and dancing in High School Musical, and we should embrace that.

Charlie St.Cloud has its good points worth mentioning; a very picturesque setting and a small but powerful appearance from Ray Liotta complement Zac Efron. However those that have a sensitive gag reflex and who don't like heavily emotional subject matter will find things to laugh about throughout. Either way, Charlie St.Cloud is no Ghost, though it sincerely tries its very best to reach that caliber.

Rating: C