Charlie St. Cloud

Zac Efron is so pretty even dead people want to be his friend.

Efron stars as Charlie - a troubled young man who stopped living life when he got into a fatal car accident that killed his younger brother, Sam (Charlie Tahan).

Since that horrible night, Charlie passed on an amazing college scholarship to one of the best schools around, and started working as the caretaker at the cemetery where his brother is buried. Instead of chasing co-eds, Charlie is chasing geese out of the graveyard.

However, he's not just trying to stay physically close to the tyke. Each night, Charlie keeps a promise to his younger brother by meeting with his ghost to play catch and talk about life (I know that sounds creepy, but it's more heartbreaking than spine tingling. Trust me.)

When Charlie meets a beautiful lady, Tess (Amanda), who captures his attention and reminds him about all of the activities he used to love, will he choose to live again?

Is Charlie ready to move on and let go?

Is Sam ready to move on?

On the surface, you might not think mixing idealized young romance, ghostly encounters and a massive dollop of sappiness is the recipe for one of the summer's movie going highlights, but that's because you have underestimated the power of Zac Efron, and some daring writing.

Efron is more than a stunning set of blue eyes. He wisely has used the High School Musical platform to catapult onto the cusp of superstardom and artistic respect (which might be more important than magazine covers). Efron has a great soulfulness and ability to evoke emotion from the audience without becoming cloying or desperate for attention. He brings a steady, leading man presence that makes you want to see more.

Best of all, even if it only lasts for a short portion of Charlie St. Cloud, writers Craig Pearce and Lewis Colick (based on the book The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood), along with director Burr Steers, have some big moments sneak up on us that prove this more than your typical, run of the mill popcorn movie. Subtle is not the word you always use when talking about this movie, but I loved the developments we get along the way.

However, while hammering you over the head with some scenes, Steers often has a wonderful soft touch with the more otherworldly aspects of the film. He makes the time between Sam and Charlie sweet and not creepy, while giving us a love story that is welcoming, warm and enticing.

I would have gone in a different direction with the ending, but Charlie St. Cloud is the tearjerker of the summer. Make sure you take a trusted confidante with you to see this one, the kind who will make a pact not to reveal how much you both cried.

Charlie St. Cloud is rated PG-13 for language including some sexual references, an intense accident scene and some sensuality.