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"Charlie St. Cloud" initially comes off as a hybrid of "The Lovely Bones" and "The Notebook." It contains a character unwilling to let go of a dead child as well as a seaside romance. But "Charlie St. Cloud" rises above both those films and overcomes an often clunky script. What's more, it proves to be an excellent vehicle for Zac Efron, who has been floating in teen idol purgatory since the "High School Musical" series wrapped up.

In a quiet New England coastal town, high school senior Charlie St. Cloud (Efron) is captain of the sailing team and headed to Stanford. But after his kid brother, Sam (Charlie Tahan), dies in a car crash, his priorities change. Charlie can't let Sam's spirit go, and he promises to play catch with Sam's Red Sox-loving ghost every evening at sundown.

Five years later, Charlie is working in a cemetery, and still meeting Sam at dusk. Then a girl catches Charlie's eye. It's Tess (Amanda Crew, "The Haunting in Connecticut"), a fellow sailor he doesn't remember from high school. In a beat-the-clock romance scenario, the two fall in love just a few days before she is set to sail solo around the world. Sam's ghost becomes jealous. As Charlie grows closer to Tess, his relationship with Sam becomes distant, and he must choose between the two.

If the movie isn't better than "The Notebook," it's certainly better than "Dear John" or "The Last Song." Just as in "The Notebook," the lead actors elevate what could have been a movie more suited for television to an entertaining motion picture.

Efron proves he is not just a pretty face. Clearly more talented than his resume indicates, he would be wise to go the DiCaprio route of taking more challenging roles rather than coasting on his good looks. Crew's unconventional beauty and charm mark her as a believable sailor and an intelligent match for Efron's Charlie.

The film's biggest revelation might be Charlie Tahan as Sam. Producers held an open casting call to fill the role, and it's clear they made the right choice. Tahan is funny when he needs to be, punching out a few laughs when the drama grows heavy. By simply appearing onscreen, he gives the more melodramatic moments brevity. His presence is reminiscent of other recent child stars, namely Shia LaBeouf and Haley Joel Osment.

Although Efron and Crew's chemistry is electric, it can't carry the entire film. Many other characters are distractingly wooden. Rival sailor Conners (Matt Ward, "Tooth Fairy") is a stereotypical preppy jerk straight out of a John Hughes movie, and Donal Logue ("Max Payne") plays a sailing coach whose stubbornness is a bit too convenient to the plot. Still, the three leads and effective supporting performances from Kim Basinger and Ray Liotta outweigh those flaws.

The film isn't as morbid as "The Lovely Bones," but it's still a ghost story. Steers adds a chilling touch to the scenes shared by Charlie and Sam's ghost. The conclusion of a swim in the lake, which leaves Charlie by himself, is especially creepy. Steers and writers Craig Pearce and Lewis Colick make a wise decision not to explain why Charlie can see Sam. He just does. The connection makes you wonder what the team could come up with if they didn't have to deal with a gooey love story.

Steer's ability to balance the schmaltz with the grotesque may help sell the film to an audience beyond young women. Just as the action settles into an enjoyable pace, a moonlit game of tag leads into a silhouetted love scene. It's startling, but necessary. Omitting this moment would alienate fans of Ben Sherwood's book. But just as the kissing threatens to derail the action, Steers gets on with the story.

"Charlie St. Cloud" is the kind of movie women will drag their boyfriends to. At least those men can take comfort in the fact that it's not as bad as it looks.

Charlie St. Cloud

PG-13; Drama; 99 minutes

Director: Burr Steers

Cast: Zac Efron, Charlie Tahan, Amanda Crew, Augustus Prew, Donal Logue, Kim Basinger, Ray Liotta, Dave Franco

Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars