Review: Me and Orson Welles

It is comforting to know that, along with all your Avatars, Twillights and 3D cartoons, a film like Me and Orson Welles still exists. Focusing on the week before Orson Welles' controversial production of Julius Ceaser the film has a certain old school charm looking at the 1930s through rose-tinted goggles and the theatre as a grand instiution. The film is seen through the eyes of Richard the young boy who is cast in the role of Lucius and learns lessons about life and love. Although the film isn't exactly ground-breaking it still gives a lovely image of what it was like to live in New York during that this is achieved through the production design and the music selected. It is odd that this feels so much like New York as most of it was filmed either in London or on the Isle of Man. There is a real sense of commaraderie within the cast as we see younger version of Joseph Cotton and Harold Lloyd mixing with Welles.

As Richard, Zak Efron is actually quite impressive and keeps the singing to a minimum. In this film he finally sheds his 'teen movie' persona and although this isn't a serious drama film it gives him the oppurtunity to show how good an actor he is and indeed he has a very good sense of comic timing. Where I felt Efron was mis-cast was in his romantic scenes with Claire Danes as he definitely not her romantic equal. Danes is great in whatever she's in and as Orson's ambitious PA she is very likeable in a role that in lesser hands may've been mishandled. In supporting roles Ben Chaplin and Kelly Reilly are impressive as the jaded thespian and dramatic diva respecitvely. While Leo Bill impresses as the sarcastic Lloyd and James Tupper makes a fine Joseph Cotton. But this film belongs to Christian McKay who is a relative newcomer to screen acting but he shows no signs of being a newcomer. He is everything that Orson Welles should be overpowering, charasmatic and at times a little egocentric. McKay rightly deserves the nominations he has racked up during awards time and hopefully his role will get him recognised by the right people.

I am surprised such an old school film was directed by Richard Linklater who is more famed for films like Dazed and Confused, School of Rock and A Scanner Darkly. This sees him return to his Before Sunrise/Sunset films as once again he is able to present a charming story in a very presentable way. Me and Orson Welles is never going to be a memorable classic but as a piece of entertaining cinema and an account of a famous theatrical production it is very good indeed.