Charlie St. Cloud, movie review
Starring: Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Kim Basinger, Amanda Crew, Ray Liotta
By Meredith A. Iager
I knew this would be one of my favorite dramas when I saw the trailer and I don’t have that happen often. This is one of the more powerful movies in the past 3 years, and is truly outstanding, yet a tear-jerker. Everyone should see this movie. It connects life, death, what you’re passionate about, and how to move on from unexpected tragedy, and seeing things for what they are.
Off the coast of Maine, in a small boating town, life’s about taking the second chances God gives you, and going with your gut, in this drama-slice-of-life film. Charlie St. Cloud (Zac Efron, “High School Musical”) is an avid wind-surfing champion along with his brother. Tragically, soon after they win the race, Charlie and his brother Sam (Charlie Tahan, “Nights in Rodanthe”) get in a horrific car accident, and Sam dies, and Charlie flat lines, but is brought back to the living by EMT Florio Ferrente (Ray Liotta).
Before Sam passes on, Charlie promised him he would train with him 1 hour a day baseball lessons. Sams’ passion in life was collecting baseball cards, and learning how to be a pro. And he continues his promise even when his brother is in limbo between earth and seeing the light and passing on.
As Charlie begins to play baseball with Sam, he starts to take a liking to an old classmate Tess (Amanda Crew, “She’s The Man”). He starts to forget about Sam, and Sam slowly disappears. But there are larger complications to the story that will make you baffled, but wanting to understand more of the story. Just get it and watch the new Blu-Ray!
We defiantly get a flavor of more things to come from actor Zac Efron, and I’m more excited to see new projects from him in the future, now that his “High School Musical” teeny-bopper smash hits have subsided. I also must note Charlie Tahan (Sam) and Amanda Crew (Tess) are also excellent in this film, and really make it special.
Put this DVD on your holiday check list. This is a keeper and one to watch at least once a year, to keep you in check of what you need to do in life. Never forget your passions, never forget your dreams, and no matter what, after tragedy, life will move on, greater than it did before.
