Review of Me and Orson Welles (2008) by Emily P — 15 Dec 2009

A delightful confection for anyone who loves theater, theater history or movies about the theater. Christian McKay's Orson Welles is a perfect blend of impersonation and characterization. Clare Danes has never been more radiantly charming. Ben Chaplin has grown from an adorable romantic lead from his Truth About Cats & Dogs days to a striking character man capable of sublime wit and pathos. While Zac Efron is pretty and charming, he's still a bit of a face actor and, ultimately had far too contemporary a presence for a film set in 1937. Neither his speaking nor his singing fit the period. Still, the character us engaging enough for us to keep rooting for him throughout.

The script is a bit thin and schematic, but it's sheer warmth, charm (there's that word again) and passion make up for its shortcomings. This is in no small part due to Richard Linklater's deft direction and attention to detail.

I definitely reccomend giving this one a look!