Charlie St. Cloud

Zac Efron is doing all he can to be taken seriously after his High School Musical phase, and he has taken steps in the right direction. Such as Me and Orson Welles which was an under appreciated movie that didn't have a broad appeal. His resume now shows that he can be artsy and bring in the female tween demographic. With Charlie St. Cloud I think he tries to reach a slightly older audience. While he may reach that audience the message he brings is utter shit.

Efron plays a young sailing phenom who seems to have the world at his feet until his brother dies in a car crash. Through the first 15 or so minutes of the movie I just kept asking myself when this kid was gonna get it. While the kid, played by newcomer Charlie Tahan, does an amicable job with the role he probably hitched his horse to the wrong wagon. Don't be surprised if this kid goes the way of short-round, you know without the hit film.

Anyway after the crash Charlie loses it and believes that he can talk to dead people including his brother, they have a standing date to meet everyday at sunset to play catch. After five years presumably the guilt gets old and in walks old rival and new boo Tess. Now he faces the difficult decision of carrying around his guilt or getting his dick wet, tough choice.

The writers for this movie most have been pissed when they found out that Efron only knows how to play sad one way. The cinematographer was able to help fill in the gaps as there are seemingly endless ways to film Efron getting wet and having to take his shirt off.

The movie also features a glimpse of Kim Basinger and Ray Liotta but they do the right thing and get their paychecks and run. Efron will be a Hollywood star to trifle with but not until he starts picking better scripts. D