Director Richard Linklater creates a coming-of-age comedy portraying the life of legendary Orson Welles in the background. Based from the semi-fictional novel by Robert Kaplow, Holly Gent Palmo and Vince Palmo create the screenplay paying tribute to Welles’ dedication on the formation of the 1937 play “Julius Caesar” from the eyes of a blossoming youth.
As the debut play for the opening of his very own Mercury Theater, Orson Welles (Christian McKay) dedicates his heart, time, and attention into perfecting the production of “Julius Caesar”. In the process he casts young aspiring actor Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) to take on the role of Lucius wherein he has to play a ukulele disguised as a lute. Working with Welles was a rollercoaster ride as he was sometimes a cruel and dismissive boss and other times a mentor to look up to.
With the minor role he’s given, Richard spends most of his time observing the happenings behind the scenes of the production. He takes notice of the variety in the cast from womanizer Joseph Cotton (James Tupper), comic Norman Lloyd (Leo Bill), cool and self-centred George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin), and Welles’ business partner John Houseman (Eddie Marsan). Unexpectedly Richard falls head over heels for Sonja Jones (Claire Danes), Welles’ secretary willing to give anything to succeed in life.
Friction between Richard and Welles emerges when the boy stands up against the boss about his repulsive and selfish treatment of the cast and crew.
Though the film is backed by a strong screenplay, the broad limitations for the film has preventing it from expanding its influence. Since its premiere in September 2008, it took 14 months for the film to earn a limited release in the United States. The limitations of the film are highly contributed to the audience lack of awareness of the novel and the plot of Julius Caesar itself. Those who have read both books are the only targeted audience of “Me and Orson Welles” recognized even by distributors who refused to support it.
What’s worse instead of focusing on the life of the legendary director, the film chooses to place a young actor in the lead. Through his entrance into this new world, we learn the nooks and cranny of the stage production from his eyes. I applaud Zac Efron for deciding to take this huge leap from his usual heartthrob roles in “High School Musical” and “Hairspray”, however he is more suited for those type of films. For “Me and Orson Welles” wherein his character Richard is me, he’s more of a liability with his lack of spark to deliver comedic lines and missing chemistry with Danes.
The saving grace for the film is Christian McKay’s superb performance of Welles embodying the essence of the great man completely from his impatience, egotism, arrogance, brilliance, and perfectionist nature. When he’s in the scene eyes are just drawn to him. Watching him feels like watching the real Orson Welles in life.
