ME AND ORSON WELLES (US 2008) ***1/2
Directed by Richard Linklater

Made in 2008 with a problem getting distribution rights even after being screened at both Cannes and the Toronto International Film Festival 2008, the Richard Linklater period drama based on the Robert Kaplow novel of the same name finally gets to reach both British and North American screens.

Not that bad a movie, with more positive input from Christian McKay who plays an excellent Orson Welles from both speech and mannerisms, it is really hard to pinpoint the reason why this film had distribution problems.  Reviews were generally positive too. 

The ‘me’ of the tile is the talented teen Richard Samuels (Zac Efrons) hired to star in the Orson Welles’ production of Julius Caesar at the Mercury Theatre in 1937 New York.  Basically a coming-of-age story, the film is centred more on Richard as he undergoes two romances while learning about survival in the real theatrical world.  The latter takes form working with a boss who is Welles with an enormous ego.

Linklater’s film is stagey.  One might safely assume that this be the director’s intention to illustrate the closeness as well as contrast the claustrophobia of staging a production.  Linklater selects a good number of scenes from the Shakespearean play for the opening night.  But the film has to necessarily go on to provide closure to the Samuels character after the climatic theatrical segments.

Efron opted to do this part as a change from his HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL and 17AGAIN type roles.  Though he is not bad in the part, he is no match for McKay’s Welles.  Part of the problem would be the audience’s familiarity with Efron’s previous roles. 

The best parts of the film are when McKay as Welles appears, particularly when his ego bursts forth.  The funniest segment is when Welles screams at his set designer that if he is not happy, he can leave through the door, pointing to the back of the theatre – though there is no door there.

Well acted from a mixed American cast and British cast, this period piece also has the feel of 1937 New York City despite it being filmed largely in London and the Isle of Man.  This is definitely one of Linklater’s (DAZED AND CONFUSED, WAKING LIFE, THE NEWTON BOYS) better works.