Rated: PG-13

Release Date: 07/30/2010

Production Company: Universal Pictures

Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Kim Basinger,
Chris Massoglia, Amanda Crew and Dave Franco.

Director: Burr Steers. Producers: Michael Fottrell and Marc Platt. Executive Producers: Michael Fottrell and Ben Sherwood. Screenwriters: Craig Pearce, Lewis Colick and Ben Sherwood (Novel: "The Death & Life Of Charlie St. Cloud." Cinematographer: Enrique Chediak.

By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs

For Zac Efron, "Charlie St. Cloud" is a major career step forward and proves the young song and dance actor from the wildly successful "High School Musical" franchise and "Hairspray" remake, can convincingly carry a dramatic movie.

Although "Charlie St. Cloud," which is based on Ben Sherwood's novel, "The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud," is dark, somber and weepy, it shouldn't alienate Efron's "HSM" fans as he still holds top honors in the matinee idol category.

Burr Steers who directed Efron in the 2009 movie "17 Again" is at the helm once again here and gets maximum results from Efron who seems quite comfortable exuding so much emotional range. While the script stumbles at times in its efforts to tug at the old heartstrings, its intentions are good.

Efron plays Charlie St. Cloud, a happy go lucky teen who lives in the Pacific Northwest and worships his mother, Claire (Kim Basinger) and his baseball loving younger brother Sam (Charlie Tahan). Their father left them at a young age, but it only made them an even closer family.

Charlie is a remarkable boater and sailor and even has a partial scholarship offer to Stanford University. But everything comes to an abrupt halt when Sam is killed in a car crash. Charlie barely survived it thanks to quick work from a paramedic (Ray Liotta). After Sam's funeral, Charlie puts his entire life on hold. He can't shake that tragic night and feels totally responsible for Sam's death. He even takes a job at the local cemetery to be closer to his deceased brother who he visualizes and talks with daily.

It takes a young and beautiful woman named Tess (Amanda Crew),--who also sails--to try and encourage Charlie to move on with his life. But when Tess is involved in a near fatal boating accident, Charlie realizes that he has to really let go of his past regardless of how painful it is.

"Charlie St. Cloud" is at times suspenseful, slightly romantic and a real tear jerker. It's also a film which allows Efron to shine without singing or dancing.

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