7/30/10

Charlie St. Cloud

The camera loves Zac Efron's face! In this sweet little weeper geared primarily for tweens, Mr. Efron ("17 Again" and "Me and Orson Welles") not only has a chance to show off his noteworthy torso, but he also does a commendable job playing the role of a Big Man on (high school) Campus destined for Stanford on a sailing scholarship (I didn't know there was such a thing), who wrecks his mother's car and his life in one fell swoop.

Joining him on screen we see:
  • Charlie Tahan ("Nights in Rodanthe") as the much-loved little brother to whom he makes an oath he will keep, "come hell or high water!"
  • Kim Basinger ("The Informers") as his single mother, picking up extra shifts at the hospital to make ends meet.
  • Ray Liotta ("Date Night") as the EMT who has the St. Christopher's medal.
  • Amanda Crew ("Sex Drive") as a fellow sailing enthusiast.
  • Augustus Prew ("About a Boy") as a loyal co-worker. This actor is either from Australia or his character is.
Although this story supposedly takes place in Puget Sound, the Vancouver B.C. locations work just fine. The tweens clapped when Zac took off his shirt and applauded when he kissed the girl, so it really didn't matter where they shot the film, so long as his gorgeous face wasn't blurred. The shirt removal scene was the steamiest one of the entire film, which is to say, no nudity, no sweaty bodies, no profanity; lots of Efron in wet t-shirts sailing, surfing and otherwise enjoying water sports.

I hope Zac Efron has a solid career ahead of him; so far, it looks like he is doing everything right.