Review of Me and Orson Welles (2008) by Daniel G — 01 Dec 2009

Wow, cramming Rick Linklater's filmography and he comes out with a new film that is proving more and more to me that he's one of the best directors out. I thought this would just be a nice, nostalgic, sweet little movie to watch, but while it delivered in those aspects, this movie was too good to simply be reduced to that. I love American history, and my absolute favorite period is the Great Depression. It's odd saying "favorite" to describe the Great Depression, but I don't know how else to describe a historical period that fascinates and interests me so much while simultaneously depresses and inspires me at the same time.

This movie obviously covers some of what would be the "inspiring" ground of 1930's America. Artists/thinkers like a young Orson Welles in the process of doing brilliant work (In this case updating Shakespeare's Caesar to make a comment about the rise and reality of fascism). Zac Efron (who is excellent in this by the way) character, Richard, is the fictional ambitious and idealistic teen who gets to take part in Orson Welles production. Linklater perfectly captures the hopes and excitement of what it must have felt like to be a part of the cultural vanguard of 1930's New York, and by extension, America. Attached to all this romanticism are hard looks at certain realities. Orson Welles, played amazingly in an Oscar-worthy performance by Christian McKay, can at one point be one of the most charming, interesting, and brilliant person you've ever met and then turn into an egocentric, manipulative asshole. Claire Danes, doing a great job acting herself, can be a charming, independent, intellectual woman at one moment then nearly a whore, getting paid in promotions. The fact that Linklater captures both sides of this and still you wish you could have been there to experience is a testament to his skill and just how good this movie is. On top of that, he makes the story of the production of a play truly riveting.

He also incorporates his characteristic teenage coming-of-age story and optimism, which Linklater does better than anyone, by telling this story through Richard's perspective. The ending of the film just wraps up my sentiment perfectly, where Zac Efron's Richard and Zoe Kazan's character are standing at the top of the stairs to the museum, anxious to dive head-first into such an exciting time and place, regardless of how it treats their pursuits, just as long as they can be part of it.