"Charlie St. Cloud" (2010) is a movie that straddles the fine line between cheesy and genuinely heartwarming. Director Burr Steers makes game attempts at capturing the crushing weight of losing a loved one, but his efforts are too heavy-handed, resulting in a film that is visually gorgeous, but too steeped in melodrama and romance to be taken seriously.
Zac Efron plays Charlie St. Cloud, a young man whose life embodies the American dream. Headed to Stanford on a sailing scholarship, Charlie is a devoted son, friend and brother. His relationship with Sam (Charlie Tahan), his eleven-year-old brother, is one of the focal points of his life.
When Sam is killed in a car accident with Charlie behind the wheel, Charlie is wracked with guilt. His grief manifests itself in a supernatural way and he gains the ability to see his deceased brother. He then makes a pact to play baseball with him every day at sunset.
Charlie's budding relationship with Tess Carroll (Amanda Crew), a former sailing rival, finally forces him to choose between living reality and holding on to Sam. The twist near the end of the movie is unexpected and seamlessly interwoven into the plot, although perhaps tying up the ending a bit too neatly.
"Charlie St. Cloud" is eminently watchable, despite its tendency at times to become overly clich. The chemistry between the cast members contributes largely to the movie's success.
The sibling relationship between Charlie and Sam is endearing and utterly heartwarming. Charlie's romance with Tess is believable, if somewhat cheesy, and Alistair's role as the supportive friend with a funny accent and quirky personality cements the ensemble.
The biggest problem with "Charlie St. Cloud" is that it fails to realistically portray the overwhelming grief that the death of a loved one creates. The dreamy visual sequences of the Vancouver wilderness give audiences a sense of surrealism and insignificance while Steers completely neglects to portray the uglier side of loss.
Throughout the film, while grieving for his brother, Zac Efron's summertime tan never fades and his lean body remains impeccably toned. Theatergoers receive gratuitous shots of Efron's sparkling blue eyes and perfectly styled blonde hair. Efron's groomed attractiveness makes even the rawest scenes of grief seem tame and choreographed. He unarguably immerses himself into his role as the tortured Charlie, but his arresting good looks make certain scenes unbelievable.
Despite its flaws, "Charlie St. Cloud" is a worthwhile summer movie. More than anything, this film is a love story, with a definite plot twist that adds some drama to an otherwise unremarkable, but entertaining film.
