Charlie St. Cloud

Charlie St. Cloud, with his younger brother Sam, wins a boating race on his sailboat Splendid Splinter, subsequently receiving a sailing scholarship to Stanford University. He graduates from Winslow High School and after graduation, Charlie promises Sam they will practice baseball every day until he leaves for Stanford.

That night, Charlie wants to attend a graduation party with his friends, but his mother makes him babysit Sam. Charlie tries sneaking out to the party, but Sam catches him and asks for a ride to his friend Tommy's house. While on the road, Charlie reassures him that his departure will not be like their father's abandonment.

The car later gets rear-ended by a SUV, pushing them into an intersection where they are T-boned by a 18-wheeler, killing them both. During an out-of-body experience, Charlie hugs and reassures Sam, promising not to leave him.

Paramedic Florio Ferrente revives Charlie but Sam dies in his arms. At the funeral, Charlie runs off, unable to put Sam's baseball glove in the grave. Running through the woods, he finds his spirit and discovers they can interact. Charlie fulfills Sam's dying wish by practicing baseball with him every day at sunset, even though it keeps Sam's spirit from "moving on."

Five years later, Charlie is a caretaker at Waterside Cemetery, having abandoned his scholarship. He continues to interact with ghosts, including his friend Sully who died in the Marines. Charlie runs into Florio, who is dying of cancer.

Florio encourages Charlie to live his life more fully, in search of the reason why he was saved. At the docks, Charlie meets Tess Carroll, an old classmate and sailor planning to solo-sail around the world.

The following day, Charlie finds an injured Tess tending her father's grave. He tends to her at his home and they develop a relationship. Later, when Charlie arrives late to see Sam, he says he felt Charlie forgetting him and himself disappearing. Charlie explains his ongoing relationship with Sam to Tess, who has followed him, and ends things to not lose Sam.

Charlie learns that Tess disappeared with her boat in a storm three days earlier. After meeting her on the docks, he believes he's really been interacting with her spirit as she appeared at the cemetery, and he assumes she died at sea.

Florio's wife Carla tells Charlie that Florio died the previous night, giving him his St. Jude medallion. Remembering that Florio believed there is no such thing as a lost cause, he becomes convinced that Tess is alive and that he was saved to save her now.

With his friend Alistair and Tess's coach Tink, Charlie takes Tink's boat to find her. At sunset, Charlie misses his game with Sam, causing him to move on from the living world as the brothers affirm their love. Sam appears to Charlie as a shooting star, revealing Tess' location. They find the wrecked boat and an unconscious Tess. Charlie uses his body heat to keep her warm until the Coast Guard arrives, protecting her against hypothermia.

Later, Charlie invites Tess to ride with him on an old sail boat he has bought. She is afraid, as she has had vivid dreams about them together. He tells Tess that these are memories, reciting a quote from her father's funeral that he discussed with her spirit. Charlie quits his job and makes his final peace with Sam's spirit. Some time later, they set off to sail around the world.

A bidding war for the film rights to the book by author Ben Sherwood broke out in April and May 2003, before the book was published, with three studios competing for the rights.[3] Universal Studios and Marc Platt (Universal's president of production) prevailed, paying a reported [estimated] $500,000 to $1 million for the rights (with that figure rising above $1 million if the film is made).[3] Ben Sherwood was guaranteed an executive producer credit on the film, and Universal Studios executive producer Donna Langley was assigned to the picture.[3] Joe Johnston was initially chosen to direct.[4]

Drafts for the script were written by James Schamus and Lewis Colick, but the final script was written by Craig Pearce. By March 2009, Johnston had been replaced as director by Burr Steers, and Platt had named himself as producer.[5][6][7] Steers helped polish the script.[7] The first lead performer cast in the film was Zac Efron, who turned down the lead role in Paramount Pictures' remake of Footloose to star in this film.[8] Pre-production had commenced by March 2009, with filming set to begin in July 2009.[5]

Training with Efron began in Vancouver, British Columbia, in July 2009,[9] and started production in upstate New York July 2009 to October 5.[10] Amanda Crew joined the film as Tess Carroll in July 2009,[11] and shot her scenes the following September.[12] A number of scenes in the film were shot in Gibsons, British Columbia, including a scene in the famous 'Beachcombers' restaurant.[13] Portions of the film were filmed at a Deep Cove school, Seycove Secondary School, in North Vancouver, B. C. Kim Basinger agreed to play Louise St. Cloud (later Claire) in mid-August 2009.[7] Chris Massoglia was signed in October 2009 to play a teenaged Sam St. Cloud, but never made it into the final film.[14][15][16] Efron wrapped his scenes in late October 2009.[17]

Rolfe Kent wrote the score, with Tony Blondal orchestrating. It was recorded at Skywalker Sound, Marin County, California. Kelvin Humenny served as the art director for the film.[18]

Following is a list of music featured in the film, but not included in the soundtrack:

• "Baby Rhys Blues" by The McKinley South Experience featuring Mick Sihkins
• "Helicopter" by Bloc Party
• "Oh, No" by Andrew Bird
• "Rasputin" by Studio K
• "We're Gonna Play" by Matthew Barber
• "While We Were Dreaming" by Pink Mountaintops
• "California Sun" by Ramones
• "Magic Show" by Electric Owls
• "Pull My Heart Away" by Jack Peñate

• Official website
• Charlie St. Cloud at IMDb
• Charlie St. Cloud at Box Office Mojo
• Charlie St. Cloud at Rotten Tomatoes
• Charlie St. Cloud at Metacritic