Review of Me and Orson Welles (2008) by Mike V — 05 Jan 2010

(Mildly Recommended) Another slightly eccentric story about ?those crazy but lovable theatre folk?, is here, only this one is based on true events. Me and Orson Welles takes place in 1937 and its story is even more dated and cliche-ridden than one would expect with this type of formula. Somewhere in this summer stock variety of a film is a more interesting and truer tale of the Mercury Theater?s famous production of Julius Caesar, and its gargantuan egomaniacal genius of a director, the young and gifted Orson Welles.

All of the stock characters are there in this troupe of ?theatre folk?: the lecherous leading man, the frustrated producer, the alcoholic actor, the self-absorbed diva, the loyal secretary, the young beginning thespian and ingenue. It?s all been done umpteen times before. The film is lite-entertainment of the flimsy kind. It tries to capture the era and times but comes across quaint and penny-ante. It?s routinely directed, although the director, Richard Linkletter, does cast the physical roles astutely. It?s too bad most of the actors in those roles emote rather than give real performances. The adaption is clumsily written. It seems like a film in search of its own identity. The film doesn?t know if it is a comedy or a drama, and both genres are never convincingly melded. Me and Orson Welles seems to be adrift in a cinematic limbo most of the time. So why am I mildly recommending this insubstantial flick?

Because of one reason and one reason alone: the central performance of Christian McKay as Orson Welles. It is a truly stunning reincarnation of this actor/director who was an essential part of theater and film in the 30?s and 40?s. McKay?s impersonation and mannerisms are remarkable and genuinely accurate. His vocal intonation is consistant perfection. It is the quintessential bonding of an actor ideally suited to his screen role. McKay is Welles and, without his amazing performance, there would be no real film, or real reason, for that matter, to see this wispy archaic little film.

Me and Orson Welles would have been better as a solo act. The real Orson Welles knew that. GRADE: B-.