Charlie St. Cloud (2010)

Wow! Such a good movie.

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

So much average

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

"Nobody ever gets to see what could have been."After directing a crowd pleaser like 17 Again which banked on Zac Efron's incredible charisma, Burr Steers decided to team up with the talented actor once again for a more dramatic project. Efron has his faithful female fans who will sign up for anything he does, but add a romantic drama to the mix and you will certainly have most young female audiences on board. Charlie St. Cloud is a film that gives you exactly what you are expecting: a story of brotherly love and learning to deal with loss. Its themes of love and loss are a bit heavy handed and melodramatic, but that is exactly what the audience is expecting. There are also some twists that are a bit too predictable and don't seem to add much to the movie, but the chemistry between the leads is enough for fans to be delighted. Efron is a talented actor and he sells his performance here. Perhaps the bond between him and his brother played by Charlie Tahan could have been stronger, but their relationship is still solid. The film seems like it's going to be about their bond, but it ultimately focuses more on Efron's character and how his loss has affected him, not allowing him to move on with his life, giving up on his dreams and aspirations to stay close to home. The film then introduces romance into the mix when an old acquaintance from Charlie's past returns home. The love interest is played by Amanda Crew and if the bond between Charlie and his brother would've been stronger I think that it could have had a more dramatic effect. But instead the film takes a suspenseful turn and kind of losses the point the film was trying to make about overcoming loss and moving on. Charlie St. Cloud is a film that delivers what you are expecting and nothing more, but it could've been a much better movie if a few changes were made. It was still a pleasant watch, but very forgettable. Kim Basinger, Dave Franco, Ray Liotta and Donal Logue all have very forgettable roles here and never get a chance to shine. This is Efron's movie and your enjoyment of it may depend on how much you like his work. http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

I really liked this film; the story is about loss, Love, understanding and finally redemption through that love. I think as a slightly older person, having been through bereavement, I can identify with the themes in this film. Obviously not to the supernatural aspects as such, but when you have lost a parent a sibling or a friend, you do find yourself at times thinking what would they say or do and more then once I have spoken out loud to a loved one who has died without even realising sometimes. No I'm not crazy it's just normal sometimes after a loss and I'm sure many do it either as I do sometimes out loud or internally. So taken in those terms I find the story not too far out as some comment. The film has just externalised this discourse as such between Charlie and Sam to make it more compelling to the audience. I suppose the film could be considered under the heading of Magical Realism in film terms. A genre that I tend to find a bit hit and miss. Overall the film is more hit then misses. I didn't like the character of Charlie's gravedigger/Gardner mate his accent was annoying for one and his character very superficial and under developed, but Zac Efron was very compelling in the movie and handled the emotional aspects very well for such a young actor. I think you would have a hard heart not to find something special and uplifting in this story. It has problems but overall a good movie so give it 8/10. If you are young and not effected by some of the themes in this film and don't like it now revisit it in many years time you may just change your views.

Zac Efron delivered a magnificent performance. He is definitely more than just the guy who was in the High School Musical movies. The story took me off guard and touched my heart with his devotion to his brother. Coming from someone who has lost someone, this story made every emotion possible flutter to the surface: sadness, hope, love, anger at fate, and desire to move forward. The grief that Zac Efron portrayed in the story is so accurate and so beautifully acted out. The brother, Sam (played by Charlie Tahan), was so precious. This movie over all was a rewarding film to watch, and a definite keeper. Congratulations Zac and Charlie for a stellar performance.

The story builds the background solid enough although takes quite long until we see the main concept settles in. And even after that, the main conflict doesn't even really begin until up about four tenths of the movie's duration. But then again, the movie did nicely in telling a mystery with a cooled down and less tense fashion. The flash backs and scream voices help greatly to hold the whole mystery aura altogether due to the overly dominant drama aspect of it. Also I like the fact that at the end the story is about God's second chance to a selected person. Zac Efron did nice in his role here. He can depict the whole character of a good brother very nicely, although I feel that he may have to work more on his facial expression usage. Amanda Crew balances the movie nicely with her role here, and so did Charlie Tahan.