Movie Review: Charlie St. Cloud – Frankly My Dear – Orlando Sentinel
Movie Review: Charlie St. Cloud – Frankly My Dear – Orlando Sentinel.
There’s an unfussy confidence to Zac Efron’s acting, a physical ease on camera that doesn’t require mannerisms or tricks. He is slipping the bounds of high school musicals and dramas right before our eyes, and his screen presence is already more adult-masculine than Leonardo DiCaprio’s was at this age.
And if directors choose to shoot him in close-up, well, he can’t help if it he’s pretty.
Charlie St. Cloud ably packages Efron in a teen weeper, a transitional romance that takes the High School Musical star into his 20s, with adult concerns and emotional issues and a romance that accepts adult consequences. But it’s also a gimmicky glop of sentimental, Ghost meets The Sixth Sense. Charlie St. Cloud looses his kid brother, but finds love. If only he could stop playing catch with that kid brother every evening as the sun goes down.
We meet Charlie at his peek — King of the Quincy, Washington small-boat sailors, headed to Stanford on a sailing scholarship. Yeah, Mom (Kim Basinger, under-used) has to work two jobs to keep them going, but Charlie and his somewhat spoiled kid brother Sam (Charlie Tahan) are lucky kids with bright futures.
Then, graduation night — “Kegger at the Point tonight!” — an accident, and Sam is gone. Charlie almost died too, but a devout Catholic paramedic (Ray Liotta) willed him back to life. The only problem? Charlie still sees Sam. And he’s promised the now-dead brother that he’d meet him “at evening cannons” (guns fired at the yacht club at sunset) to play catch and talk Red Sox baseball.
Cut to five years later, everybody else has moved on. But Charlie couldn’t go to college. He works and lives at the cemetery (ewwww), hangs with the morbid wacky Brit gravedigger Alistair (Augustus Prew) and can only gaze in envy as his former sailing rival (Amanda Crew) preps for to be the youngest competitor in an “Around Alone” round-the-world sailboat race.
Tess is interested, but she’s about to hit the high seas. Charlie is interested, but he can’t leave Quincy. Won’t somebody give these lovebirds a break?
Efron, re-teaming with his 17 Again director Burr Steers, plays a nice range of cocky to emotionally crippled here. Crew (The Haunting in Connecticut, Sex Drive) isn’t as subtle as he is, but makes a beguiling enough presence and a moderately credible sailor. The way the two brothers’ relationship stays frozen in time feels right, and there’s plenty of heart here.
But the movie’s central gimmick isn’t enough, and when more supernatural twists that don’t play by the movie’s own fantasy rules kick in, it lost me.
With Charlie St. Cloud, Efron sends the message that he’s more than another pretty face, that he’s got the chops to stick in this business. But if he’s decided these sappy Nicholas Sparks-ish tragic romances are his bread and butter, “taken seriously” status may elude him, and only come grudgingly in the end.
See for Yourself
Charlie St. Cloud
Cast: Zac Efron, Amanda Crew, Charlie Tahan, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta
Director: Burr Steers
Running time: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Industry rating: PG-13 for language including some sexual references, an intense accident scene and some sensuality.
2 out of 4 stars
MOVIE REVIEW: Charlie shows maturity as ghostly drama
MOVIE REVIEW: Charlie shows maturity as ghostly drama.
Loss and letting go form the emotional core of “Charlie St. Cloud,” a film avoiding maudlin sentimentality in favor of something softer. The less-intense approach doesn’t mean “Charlie St. Cloud” elicits false tears. Rather, the film’s relative subtlety adds to its appeal as a ghostly fable.
“Charlie St. Cloud” stars Zac Efron in his second film demanding a more dramatic approach, following last year’s surprising “Me and Orson Welles.” In this film, based on a popular 2004 novel, Efron plays the title character, talented and a little overconfident and self-assured as he prepares to leave his Pacific Northwest town for a Stanford scholarship.
When he does, Charlie will leave behind a hard-working single mother (Kim Basinger) and younger brother Sam (Charlie Tahan), whom Charlie adores, even as he sometimes forgets to give him enough attention. When Sam is killed within the first several minutes of the story, in an accident Charlie blames on himself, it changes everything for Charlie. He defers his scholarship and becomes a caretaker at the cemetery where his brother is buried, and spends evenings as the sun sets meeting his brother —- or at least an image of his brother —- in a nearby clearing for a game of catch.
Both Charlie and Sam are stuck in place, and it will take unlikely intervention from the determined young Tess (Amanda Crew) to shake Charlie from his lingering sorrow, and help him recognize that the strange gift he possesses for seeing things others can’t could be used to finally propel him toward living life to the fullest.
“Charlie St. Cloud” may emerge to many as an overfamiliar ghostly romantic drama, but in that realm, it accomplishes what it can without a lot of forced emotion and overplaying of themes. The film looks good set in the beauty of the British Columbia mountains and on its rough-hewn seas, the ocean playing a big role in the metaphors surrounding its characters.
The film is directed by Burr Steers, who guided Efron through the much more forgettable “17 Again,” and this time the pairing works better. (Steers also directed the clever cult fave “Igby Goes Down”). While many shots seem an excuse to linger on Efron’s flawless physical features, the actor summons the depth and sincerity required to make Charlie genuine. While “Charlie St. Cloud” can’t be called an instant genre classic —- too many ghostly romantic dramas show more creative weight —- the film is mature enough to hold its own.
“Charlie St. Cloud”
*** (out of four)
Starring: Zac Efron, Amanda Crew, Charlie Tahan
Director: Burr Steers
Studio: Universal Pictures
Rated: PG-13 — for language including some sexual references, an intense accident scene and some sensuality
Running time: 99 minutes
Fan Review of Charlie St Cloud from Grace, member at Zac Addicted Community
Grace from Zac Addicted Community attended a screening of the movie tonight in Toronto and was kind enough to give us a quick recap of her experience. Check it out!
After watching the pre-screening in Toronto, my verdict :
• Thumps up for Charlie St. Cloud
• Zac Efron Shines in CSCWhen I first read the book, Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood, I thought that the angst filled drama storyline would be a heavyweight for the young (and not so young) fans of Zac and even the regular reader.
Stories that dwell with life choices, coping with life’s tragedies, and striving to achieve one’s dreams, while inspiring to read, can sometimes be difficult to digest, much less watch and discuss with friends. Why – because it reminds us of life’s frailties and bleak reality of death.
In the big screen however, CSC is a movie that is heavy enough to elicit tears and tug at one’s heartstrings, yet lightweight enough to digest the message of love, letting go and second chances. It lifts up our spirits and leaves us with a hopeful eye to the future. I can see why Zac was drawn to the movie – indeed the message of brotherly love and keeping one’s promises resonates throughout the movie. The interaction between the St. Cloud brothers is poignantly sweet though it has some light and funny moments.
I have watched Zac Efron from HSM to Me and Orson Welles, but I believe this movie is his first starring role where he truly shines (yet – note date) . I am happy that he had the opportunity to work with amazing actors in MAOW but the spotlight was definitely on Christian Mckay who played Orson Welles with passion and energy.
In CSC, it’s Zac holding the seams of the movie from start to end. This leading role will show fans and the general public that he has matured as an actor. He played Charlie as I envisioned him from the book – sweet, loyal, tender with a tortured and grief stricken
soul. Zac brings Charlie to life by keeping his emotions underneath, not overly extending his sadness nor despair, but with enough charm and compassion that you can feel the depth of Charlie’s emotions. Needless to say, I was in tears in some of the scenes and so was the audience (even the young teens).Amanda Crew as Tess comes across as beautiful and determined woman with a dream to sail around the world. She made Tess frail yet strong, charmingly shy yet bold. The chemistry between Charlie and Tess is believable and the audience responded favorably to their scenes together. Also , the cinematography is beautiful – breathtaking shots of the water and the horizon are a feast to the eye.
Thanks to Liberty Group and Universal for the CSC pass – what an amazing opportunity to see Zac in this wonderful and uplifting movie.
Zac, you have said “your checklist is infinite”, so Dive for Dreams, and Live in Love!
Grace
July 15, 2010
Zac Efron’s ‘love interest’ gushes about actor
Langley’s Amanda Crew got to do what dozens of Richmond teens were only fantasizing about when Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron landed in Steveston last month to shoot a film.
The Lower Mainland actor was past the line of security and inside the Shady Island Seafood Bar and Grill standing directly beside Efron, playing the role of the love interest to Efron’s character.
While the drama also stars Ray Liotta and Kim Bassinger, Crew didn’t get to work with those Hollywood mainstays, but she’s not complaining.
“I did however get to work with Zac in almost all my scenes which was an incredible experience. He really blew me away with his talent and abilities. He pushed me and challenged me a lot during our scenes together, trying to get different responses and reactions in each take.”
Although this wasn’t Crew’s first time being a lead in a film, it was the first time she played a lead in a dramatic role opposite a name in a big studio film.
Crew described Efron as “an incredibly charismatic, down-to-earth guy.”
“Once you get over the fact that you are talking to Zac Efron, you get to see that he’s just a normal guy who is incredibly passionate about life and what he does. It’s really refreshing to see.”
Crew said she saw the hordes of teenage girls who went to Steveston hoping to catch a glimpse of Efron, perhaps a signature or maybe even a hug.
“I was there and I have to say those girls were determined and faithful in their love for Zac. I think Zac deals with his fans well. He took the time to sign autographs and pictures after wrap everyday. How he had the energy to do that after shooting for 12 hours amazes me. I have a lot of respect for him for doing that.”
Crew said she’s proud of being from Langley, but when people ask where she’s from, she replies Vancouver “because it is a know city whereas no one has heard of Langley. Sometimes I say a suburb an hour outside of Vancouver.”
Working with director Burr Steers was a “huge growing experience” Crew said.
“We did a few weeks of rehearsals before we started shooting and he taught me so much about different techniques and pushing me out of my comfort zone. It has been one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever worked on in the most positive and rewarding ways.”
http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/67733077.html
