Me and Orson Welles

Me and Orson Welles(480P)

source: Me and Orson Welles

Monotone is the best suited word to describe it. I love every other Linklater film and I've been postponing to watch this film because I don't think "Junior", played by Effron, is much of an actor. Well, I was right, the kid overacts, delivers some of his lines as if he's reading from the script as they're shooting it and even reacts before the right moment. In this scene, where the character played by Kelly Reilly kisses him on the cheek, the kid literally reacts to the kiss before it is even landed. But the problem with this film is not the teenage idol. I don't understand why a brilliant writer such as Richard Linklater would choose to direct someone else's script, specially a particularly horrible one. This film is an insult to New York period films post Mad Men; the characters act - or overact - as if they are on a play the entire time. I don't know whose fault it is, but I doubt it was Linklater's who usually goes for the natural performances, sometimes even improvs. Unless you're a 12 year-old teenage girl who never heard of Orson Welles, you have nothing to take from this, not even entertainment.

I don't think it is exaggeration to say that the performance of Christian McKay as Orson Welles in this film is beyond criticism. It is one of the rarest of moments in movies when a character from history becomes more than real- it becomes part of the legend of his life. More than anything, this is a film about youth, and all the brashness, foolishness, and loss that it represents. Orson Welles was a genius, and as such, would be ignored and destroyed by the very culture that created him. But theater, just like film is an art of collaboration. Even geniuses need a cast, and Orson created a team, that included masters of art like John Houseman and Joseph Cotten. Too bad so many film viewers will see this film without a clue about who these people were, never mind how magical this group became. The film is a delight in every way, with a cast to die for, magical cinematography and a soundtrack that is so perfect it is going to be very hard to resist buying the CD. And then there is the performance by Mr. McKay. And once again, Europe provides the kind of new acting talent that is apparently lost here in America. Where are the American's that could come even close to such a masterful piece of film acting? We will never know since American directors will make movies with George Clooney and the rest over and over again to guarantee a return on their dollars. The risk and absolute stunning results of the new evident in this film, are rare but absolutely delicious. Don't miss this evidence that film acting still can blow your mind, and make you believe.

This movie is about a boy (Richard) who got bored of his lectures in the school and wanted to do something for real. The story revolves the real world experiences which changed Richards life from an ambition to become a renowned actor to a writer. Richard got a chance in a play lead by Orson Welles. Orson Welles is depicted as an arrogant, confident, convincing leader who controls the whole the play. All the other actors were just happy to be working with Orson Welles. Richard fall in love with Sonja and spent time with her. But when he fights for her against Orson Welles his life took a new turn. In the end the whole episode gave Richard an idea of writing a novel on a famous personality. Its a drama worth watching. I liked the acting of Christian McKay (Orson Welles) and Claire Danes(Sonja). Zac Efron reminded me of Leonardo DiCaprio.

I admire anyone who can sit through more than eight minutes of this stupid, pretentious movie. Everything about it screams "Look at me!", and when a movie's own pretensions can overshadow as flamboyant a character as Orson Welles, something is terribly wrong. It's just one "Look at me!" moment after another. "Look at me! I'm the real 1930s New York City!" (that's the cheesy, heavily sepia-ed Hollywood backlot set talking) Then: "Look at me! I'm Zac Efron, making a REAL MOVIE! and I can play a mean drum roll! and sing a Wheaties jingle! and flirt with an ugly girl!" Then: "Look at me! I may be an unknown British stage actor, but I *AM* Orson Welles!" That's when I gagged and ejected the DVD. I'll spare myself yet another appearance of the persistently obnoxious Claire Danes. Viewers who think this movie is an authentic look at Welles, or an authentic look at Depression-era New York theatre, or an authentic ANYTHING, have had their minds crippled by watching way too much phony Hollywood garbage - which is exactly what this movie is.

The year is 1937. While Hitler,Mussolini & Franco are terrorizing the citizens of Europe (and are in the planning stages of World War 2), a young,17 year old drama student,Richard Samuels (played by Zac Efron,of 'High School Musical'fame) has the opportunity of a lifetime to work along side theater wunderkind,Orson Welles (played here by a dead-on Christian McKay). Welles in the early stages of a production of Shakespere's 'Julias Ceasre'. Richard falls under the spell of not just Orson Welles,but being a part of the,then "new" Mercury Theater. We get to see what transpires during the pre-production of a play,including artistic temperament (Welles was known for not being the most easy person to work with,or for),star fits (hissy fits were the norm in the theater game),and other pain in the butt issues (technical quirks,run in's with producers,etc.). In the midst of all of this,Richard takes a fancy to Orson's personal assistant,Sonja Jones (played by Clare Danes). Other looming figures in the Mercury players include:George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin),and Joseph Cotton (James Tupper),who had roles in Welles' 'Citizen Kane'later down the road. Richard Linklater (Slacker,Suburbia,A Scanner Darkly,etc.)directs from a screenplay by Holly Gent Palmo,from the novel of the same name by Robert Kaplow,in what has to be some of the finest work he has turned in,in some years. The film's musical soundtrack crackles with 1930's period popular music & hot jazz of the era (the precursor to swing). Orson Welles is painted as an ego centric,self centered,potty mouthed genius that knew exactly what he wanted from himself & his ensemble of top notch professionals. This is smart,toothsome film making that may remind some of 'My Favorite Year',from some years back. Rated PG-13 by the MPAA,this film has pervasive raunchy language from the mouth of Welles,some adult content,and some smoking,and under age drinking.

Over a dozen actors have played Orson Welles on screen, attempting to nail mercury; a figure equal parts charming conjurer and driven dictator. The latest challenger is Christian McKay, a British stage actor. But McKay doesn't just 'play' the great genius. Rather, like some voodoo priest, he appears to have ensnared and bottled Welles' immortal soul, in order to resurrect every tyrannical tic and mellifluous mannerism of the man who, like Vincent Price in Theatre Of Blood, had the temerity to rewrite Shakespeare. So that's the Orson Welles bit of the title accounted for. Then there's "Me". Zac Efron's presumably here for the same reason Robert Pattinson was recently cast as Salvador Dali in Little Ashes: honey to the box office bee. In Richard Linklater's period piece he's a high schooler who lucks his way into Welles' famous 1937 production of Julius Caesar at the Mercury Theatre; a once-in-a-lifetime "opportunity to be sprayed by Orson's spit". Compared with his co-performers, especially shock-haired Leo Bill, who fits the 1930s like a bespoke blazer, Efron's is a face and sass out of time. His is a rite de passage without a passage, a coming-of-age story in which the cocky protagonist comes, but never attains wisdom. Thus the film demands an emotional investment in a character we can't care about. Adventureland tells a similar story much better. But McKay is this film's incredible, all-conquering ace.

I have seen a couple of good reviews of Me and Orson Welles, so decided to go and see whether they were merited. I'm pleased to report that the film certainly impressed me. The film focuses on the rehearsals and opening of the play Caesar starring Orson Welles in 1937. Nominally Zac Efron plays the lead as Richard Samuels who is almost 18 and yearning to become an actor. A chance encounter with Orson Welles outside the Mercury theatre leads to Richard being cast as Lucius. Welles was one of those larger than life characters who had so much talent that they could get away with having a rather inflated ego. This is the first time I have seen Zac Efron on screen and I have got to say he played the role of the star struck teenager very nicely. The character is full of dreams and it certainly resonates long after the film has finished. If Christian McKay does not get a supporting actor Oscar nomination for his Orson Welles portrayal it will be a travesty. He is quite simply superb. I've always found Claire Danes very engaging and she is also very good in this as are a number of the supporting cast including Ben Chaplin and Zoe Kazan. If you are after traditional blockbuster fare from your movies then you are probably well advised to skip Me and Orson, but if you like an intelligent film that is well scripted, well directed (by Richard Linklater) and well acted then it's a must see.

Richard Linklater's "Me and Orson Welles" reminds us what a young whirlwind Orson Welles was well before Citizen Kane and RKO. His film time travels us to post depression era New York where young upstart Welles was reshaping the face of theater. However, Welles' daughter reportingly enjoyed the film, as did I, but felt at times it lowers the beginning stages of Welles' career to a lackluster episode of "Sex and the City" Here's the man who created the grand-daddy of media hoaxes, directed films that re-directed the path of world cinema, was a fantastic magician, I can go on. Do we really care about a life triangle Welles is in? The actor playing Welles is pre-Citizrn Kane Welles bought to life. It is not a party-time mimic like in "Ed Wood", but a performance that picks up all the facial expressions, mannerisms, large laugh that we all admire in Orson Welles. I can see why Welles' other daughter refuses to see the film. It was also fun to see represented here, other members of Welles' Mercury Theatre- Joseph Cotten, George Coulouris, Norman Lloyd.