5/10
I'm torn between dismissing this as soupy, soppy sentimental cheese, or saying that it's not that bad if you like that kind of thing. What kind of thing? I shall explain.
Imagine a combination of The Sixth Sense, Ghost, Field Of Dreams, Groundhog Day and a few other films, aimed at an audience of young women and girls. Still not clear? OK, I'll give you some plot.
Charlie is a young man who loves sailing. He lives with his single mother (Kim Basinger), and his much-adored kid brother up in Washington State. One night, everything changes for the worst when - and there's no way I can avoid telling you this - his brother is killed in a car crash (Charlie was driving). Jump five years forward and Charlie hasn't gone to college, doesn't sail anymore, doesn't date women (despite the best efforts of his English geezer friend/workmate), and - most unusually - he meets his (dead) brother at sunset every day to practice throwing balls. How does this grab you so far?
Now obviously that particular plot outline will only take you so far in terms of narrative momentum, and so it is that a woman enters his life. An attractive woman who loves sailing and seems to like him too. How can he reconcile his past with his future? That's as far as I'm going, and it's too far already, but I suspect the main demographic for this film are going to be Zac Ephron fans who will be satisfied to know he takes off his top at regular intervals (with a wet tee shirt as an alternative option), that he looks moody and handsome in a non-threatening way, and that he's as happy shedding tears as throwing punches. He's an all round guy that anyone would be happy to bring home to mom and pop. Well, anyone young, female and easily smitten. Like I say, I can't decide if it's tripe or tolerable, so I'll hedge my bets and pronounce it tolerable tripe.
