Me and Orson Welles

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Me and Orson Welles

71% Liked It
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Me and Orson Welles

Ben Chaplin, Christian McKay, Claire Danes, Eddie Marsan, Imogen Poots

Set in 1937, the story centers on a high school student (Efron) who, while strolling the streets of New York, happens upon the yet-to-open Mercury Theatre and is noticed by its mercurial founder, Orso...( read more  read more... )n Welles. The man lands a bit part in "Julius Caesar," the production that catapulted Welles to the top, and spends the next week learning about life and love.

Id: 11047476

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Me and Orson Welles Recent Reviews
  • flickfever
    December 27, 2009
    flickfever
    Picture
    Once in a while, there comes a movie that is so endearing, engaging and charming, that you wish everyone you know could see it. Me and Orson Welles is one of those films. It has a romanticized quality about it that speaks to those who like a good period piece and who like...( read more) seeing good characters do good things in a movie that is--good.

    The film itself chronicles a week in the life of a young, aspiring actor (Efron) who, after a chance encounter with the infamous Orson Welles, quickly becomes a part of (if not entangled in) a whirlwind production of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." The film also showcases the madness experienced by everyone involved in the play due to its crazed--and genius--progenitor, legendary male drama queen, Orson Welles (played a revelatory Christian McKay.)

    When our naive debutant, Richard, meets the ego-maniacal Welles, he is warned that Orson is full of drama; that he's read and knows "everything": and that he always gets his way. Slowly, but surely, our plucky young protagonist learns that this forewarning is nothing but the truth. As the ruthless and self-centered Welles becomes more deranged in his effort to put a show that will "make them sweat", he alienates his own cast and crew with his melodramatic outburst. However, Welles' short temper and capricious nature is mostly overlooked by his closest colleagues, particularly a young assistant (Danes); who knows that these things must be done in order to get ahead.

    Surprisingly, and despite the play-within-the-film's heavy subject matter, the movie has a light disposition about it. The balance of humor and drama that it provides is a very harmonious one and the film ends up having a very feel-good vibe. The ins-and-outs of the theater world in 1930s America is given a royal homage that both glamorizes the art-form of theater and still depicts it with honesty and good intent. Very rarely does it meander into cliché or sappy sentimental territory. It simply is a good story that just happens to be told from the perspective of an idealistic 17-year old boy...who just happened to spend a week with Orson Welles.

    It goes to show that a small, little film like this can truly be a diamond in the rough. A diamond that may go unnoticed or unseen, but doesn't lose its shine despite that few are witness to its greatness. Zac Efron can actually act..Christian McKay is Orson Welles. Claire Danes is in top form. The movie is simply a gem and deserves to be seen by everyone I know. Truly.
  • zdravkoduck
    December 18, 2009
    zdravkoduck
    I have a soft spot for Theatre. Backstage shennanigans, the atmosphere hours before showtime everybody moving and nervous and excited. I've heard a lot about Orson Welles unfortunately I first heard of him as the fat arrogant actor...then I discovered the skinny arrogant Orson We...( read more)lles...i kinda like the latter. The guy who played em was amazing.
  • Peandpi
    December 13, 2009
    Peandpi
    I was absolutely blown away mostly by the talent in this film. The plot is weak but the talent just makes it a great watch. Christian McKay is going places and deserves an Oscar nod for his role of Orson Welles. Zac Efron continues to impress me post High School Musical and is ce...( read more)rtainly one to keep our eyes on. The era in which the film is set, the acting, the witty dialogue and the overall fun makes 2 hours pass by in no time at all.
  • jessiethiebaut
    December 26, 2009
    jessiethiebaut
    omg i love Zac Efron!! haha hes smexxilcious(:
  • ray172
    December 25, 2009
    ray172
    I thought it is very good. It holds the attention while avoiding predictable out comes.
  • akhan41
    December 24, 2009
    akhan41
    I was into it from scene two. I thought it was excellent.
  • retoxproductions
    December 22, 2009
    retoxproductions
    very enjoyable. a great date movie
  • ElDuderinoLebowski
    December 13, 2009
    ElDuderinoLebowski
    After the blast of imagination that was A Scanner Darkly, Linklater has been gone back down a more subtle path, but that's not quite a bad thing. While basic in execution, the film's ensemble is beyond fantastic, particularly Christian McKay. Even though he's 13 years older than ...( read more)Welles was at the time period, and he's British, he somehow provides a very astute portrayal. You ignore his age gap and occasional accent drops due to his determination in portraying the man who's arrogance and bravado was both his strength and his absolute weakness. When you see him, it's almost like watching a biography at times.

    Zac Efron shows a lot more maturity than his other films, and provides plenty of laughs without overt snarkiness, but is second-billing in comparison to McKay. The rest of the cast is good, with Danes probably being the weakest. It's also nice to see an appearance from the frequently overlooked Eddie Marsan, who provided one of the best performances of 2008 in Happy Go Lucky.
  • leo98
    December 13, 2009
    leo98
    Christian McKay should win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for this performance.
  • ahs15
    December 13, 2009
    ahs15
    Watch This Movie Online FREE
    http://Fly75.com
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