Me and Orson Welles – An eOne Films’ Release

http://www.meandorsonwellesthemovie.com/

DVD Release Date: August 17th, 2010

Rated PG for mature theme, and coarse language

Running time: 113 minutes

Richard Linklater (dir.)

Holly Gent Palmo (screenplay)

Vincent Palmo Jr. (screenplay)

Based on the book by Robert Kaplow

Michael J. McEvoy (music)

Zac Efron as Richard Samuels (Lucius)

Claire Danes as Sonja Jones

Christian McKay as Orson Welles (Brutus)

Ben Chaplin as George Coulouris (Mark Antony)

Our reviews below:

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Me and Orson Welles DVD Review By John C.

***1/4 (out of 4)

In 1937, 17-year-old Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) was picked off the street to play Lucius in Orson Welles’ (Christian McKay) famous staging of Julius Caesar at the Mercury Theatre in New York.  Falling for the slightly older Sonja (Claire Danes) and standing up against Orson himself, Richard is having the time of his life even if it means time-off from high school.  Me and Orson Welles follows the few weeks in his life leading up to opening night of the now famous play.

Zac Efron, Claire Danes and the supporting cast are all uniformly good, and Christian McKay is excellent as Orson Welles – a role that got short-changed an Oscar nomination.  From the costumes to the jazz music, there is a classy feel to this period-piece that makes it irresistibly charming and entertaining.

The DVD includes deleted scenes, and featurettes both on the making of the film and on the real life Orson Welles and his famous staging of Julius Caesar.

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Me and Orson Welles DVD Review By Erin V.

***1/2 (Out of 4)

Taking place in 1937 Me and Orson Welles tells the story of young Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) who ends up being cast, last-minute off the streets by Orson Welles to play Lucius in Julius Caesar.  Through the eyes of 17-year-old Richard, we get a glimpse of what it may have been like to work for Orson Welles.

Orson Welles is played to perfection by Christian McKay, and the rest of the cast is fine as well.  Not a bad actor, Zac Efron seems to work better playing period characters like here, and in Hairspray (2006).

It’s a pretty clean movie, and an interesting one too.  I liked how the tone, style and music landed this movie right in the ’30’s.  Me and Orson Welles is based on the book of the same name, by Robert Kaplow.

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Me and Orson Welles DVD Review By Nicole

***1/2 (out of 4)

Me and Orson Welles is a low-key coming of age story about one teen boy’s encounter with the famous stage actor.  It’s 1937, and 17-year-old Richard (Zac Efron) comes across Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre Company.  Wishing to be a stage actor he lands a role in Welles’ hit performance of Julius Caesar.  The job isn’t as easy as it sounds, however, as Welles (Christian McKay) is a rather difficult man to be around.  But one thing that really introduces Richard to the adult world is a romance with a somewhat older woman named Sonja (Claire Danes).

Me and Orson Welles is a well acted film.  It catches the feel of the late 1930’s perfectly, especially with it’s restrained use of coarse language, lack of sexual scenes, and great music.

While there is nothing in this movie that young Zac Efron fans couldn’t see, Me and Orson Welles will appeal mostly to teens and adults who enjoy a classy, slow-paced movie with an older feel.  I really enjoyed this film and would recommend checking it out.

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Me and Orson Welles DVD Review By Maureen

*** (out of 4)

Some of the best drama in a theatre is what goes on behind the scenes.  Me and Orson Welles tells the story of Orson Welles’ 1937 stage production of Julius Caesar at the Mercury Theatre in New York City.  Told from the point of view of a young aspiring actor named Richard (Zac Efron) the movie shows what it was rumoured to be like to work for the legendary Orson Welles.

This is a great period piece.  The costumes, the set and the music all have a genuine 1937 feel.  What makes this movie so watchable is the great performance of Christian McKay as the brilliant and talented Orson Welles.  McKay manages to capture the arrogance and perfectionist control that Welles was reported to have.  The acting all around is really good in this movie.  Zac Efron looks and sounds like he is from the 1930’s.  Claire Danes is also nice to watch as Welles’ assistant and young Richard’s love interest.

Fans of theatrical history, especially Orson Welles fans will find Me and Orson Welles an interesting and entertaining movie to watch.

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Me and Orson Welles DVD Review By Tony

*** (out of 4)

Me and Orson Welles, based on a novel by Robert Kaplow and directed by Richard Linklater, dramatizes the week leading up to and including the 1937 premiere of the revolutionary modern (Italian Fascist) dress Mercury Theatre production of Julius Caesar. Though the New York theatre was jointly run by 22-year-old Orson Welles (Christian McKay, playing Brutus) and John Houseman (Eddie Marsan), Welles tyrannically dominated every aspect of production.  He still managed to appear in various radio serials, rushing through traffic between gigs in an ambulance.  The story is seen through the eyes of Richard Samuels (Zac Efron), a high school senior who manages to get a small part in the production and strikes up a friendship with office manager Sonja Jones (Claire Danes).  Other historical members of the company, such as George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin, playing Marc Antony) and Joseph Cotten (James Tupper, playing Publius) add to the intrigue and panic behind the scenes as the opening date approaches.

Shot mainly in the U.K. using an old theatre on the Isle of Man, the period is beautifully recreated in every detail, including the swing band score.  Though the script and cast are all fine, the film’s success depends on a convincing portrayal of the Welles we know from Citizen Kane, and Christian McKay nails it.

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Consensus: Featuring good performances, in particular an excellent turn by Christian McKay as Orson Welles, Me and Orson Welles is a classy period piece and an interesting behind the scenes look at the theatrical world. ***1/4 (Out of 4)