Zac Ephron, Claire Danes and newcomer Christian McKay star in a ribald tale of a single week that changed theatre, film and American culture forever... a story of the founding of the Mercury Theatre, seven days of mass marital infidelity and one teenager's vault to stardom -- Me and Orson Welles. Garfield and his owner, Jon Arbuckle, are in a rut. Orson Welles’ career began with robust Shakespearian orations, soared with highly touted cinematic masterpieces, floundered in later B-grade films and ended with weary, rumbling baritone hawks for frozen peas and cheap wine. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. A wonderful tour de force for director Richard Linklater. The impersonation of Welles by Christian McKay in "Me and Orson Welles" is the centerpiece of the film, and from it, all else flows. Me and Orson Welles ultimately fails because it centers on its two least appealing characters. This is a film worth seeing, and seeing more than once. An extraordinary impersonation of the American theatrical boy wonder by the young English actor Christian McKay is the indisputable highlight of “ Me and Orson Welles,… Welles and the theater are not heroes at all in this telling. However, given the title, it isn't difficult to imagine the inevitable highlight of the show, and true enough, as the infamous Welles, British stage actor Christian McKay doesn't so much steal scenes as seize and throttle them, exploding on screen with the same engrossing bluster that only the real Welles himself could conjure up. Get unlimited DVD Movies & TV Shows delivered to your door with no … Welles, despite all his literary sophistication, is oblivious to the irony that he is like a tyrannical Caesar. Welles's third completed feature film as director and his first film noir [4] is about a war crimes investigator tracking a high-ranking Nazi fugitive to a Connecticut town. Looking for more? A grizzled little league coach tries to turn his team of misfits into champs. The look, and feel of the whole film; acting, writing, sets, costumes, all seem natural and organic. Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2017. An alcoholic former horse-trainer perceives in a fifteen-year-old boy a unique gift of horsemanship and makes it possible for the boy to conceive his dream and pursue it. 91 of 107 people found this review helpful. I am sure this wasn't all that successful when first released, but well worth the time spent watching. The story of a whirlwind week in 1937 NYC when a young aspiring actor (Zac Efron) is thrown into the middle of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre Company on the eve of the opening of Welles' historic staging of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In small-town Texas, an affable mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when she starts to become controlling, he goes to great lengths to separate himself from her grasp. The movie Me and Orson Welles feels like it has a similar trajectory. But also on this trip, Richard stumbles across the Mercury Theatre and meets, Rated PG-13 for sexual references and smoking, ‘Mank’ Review: David Fincher’s Best Movie Since ‘The Social Network’ Puts Hollywood in Its Place, All 21 Richard Linklater Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best (Photos), ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’ Review: Richard Linklater’s Eccentric Family Comedy Doesn’t Know What it’s Looking For. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. When a high-schooler lucks into a role in a Broadway production of Julius Caesar, he's got a lot to learn - the first is to never upstage genius director, 22-year-old Orson Welles. A day in the life of Austin, Texas as the camera roams from place to place and provides a brief look at the overeducated, the social misfits, the outcasts and the oddballs. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2020. All the members of his company must kowtow to him. Title: Orson Welles played by a magnificent unknown and Me played by a moderate known, Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2012. What a gem! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2018. To me, it is a cautionary tale about what happens when you separate art from morality. You may have heard that the “Orson Welles’’ part of “Me and Orson Welles’’ is a remarkable, even staggering, work of imposture. ,I've always been a little fascinate with Orson Wells, and watched a lot of his interviews and films, I felt I was watching Orson with this actors portrayal! But also on this trip, Richard stumbles across the Mercury Theatre and meets Orson Welles, who, based on an impromptu audition, offers Richard an acting job as Lucius in his modern retelling of Julius Caesar, which includes such stalwart Mercury Theatre players as Joseph Cotten and George Coulouris. Me and Orson Welles is a 2009 American film directed by Richard Linklater about the life of a high school student, Richard, who gets a part in Orson Welles' production of Julius Caesar at the Mercury Theatre. Me and Orson Welles The actor that plays Orson Welles is very good. Actor Zac Efron attends the 'Me & Orson Welles' UK Premiere at the Vue West End on November 18, 2009 in London, England. Although the poster makes ME AND ORSON WELLES out to be a tribute to Welles and the magic of performing, it is a much darker story than that. In November 1937, high school student and aspiring thespian Richard Samuels takes a day trip into New York City. Sign in to see videos available to you. Me and Orson Welles Christian McKay and director Richard Linklater on the set of "Me and Orson Welles." We can almost accept that this is the Great Man. But even with such a varied body of work, it is difficult to deny Linklater's latest still seeming somewhat of an anomaly: a lighthearted period piece examining the timeless figure of Orson Welles, making his name through a 1930s theater production of Julius Ceasar still seems an odd about face even for such a versatile director. There, he meets and begins a casual friendship with Gretta Adler, their friendship based on a shared love and goal of a profession in the creative arts. Contact: mailus@cinemanx.com 1 talking about this. Garfield Gets a Life. Check out the full list of winners. The message, to me, is that the meek shall inherit the earth. Movies Like Me and Orson Welles. A nameless young character goes into travels to the country, meeting some acquaintances and strangers as well, having banal conversations, dedicating his existence into daily mundane ... See full summary ». While working on the production, he falls in love with Sonja Jones, the production assistant. My take is quite different. Now available on DVD: http://amzn.to/9GKoQY - A teenager is cast in the Mercury Theatre production of "Julius Caesar" directed by a young Orson Welles in 1937. Select the department you want to search in. Of course I recognized Zac Efron having been in the receiving age group of the Disney Channel Soul Suckers (kidding, but only just), his existence went right over my head and I was instead drawn to Christian McKay (who at the time of this review still has a startlingly slim imdb record *cough* SOMEONE GIVE THE MAN A LEAD IN EVERY MOVIE THERE IS GOING TO BE *uncough*) - because in the two and a half minutes the trailer had to sway me I was convinced that he was already a very accomplished veteran actor I had somehow missed. Zac Efron wins hearts and applause as Richard, the Me of this celebratory curtain call for when dreams - and the theater - were big. But also on this trip, Richard stumbles across the Mercury Theatre and meets Orson Welles, who, based on an impromptu audition, offers Richard an acting job as Lucius in his modern retelling of Julius Caesar, which includes such stalwart Mercury Theatre players as Joseph Cotten and George Coulouris. The company secretary, Sonja, gives him sexual favors in order to keep her job and advance in show business. Me and Orson Welles reflects a lifelong interest in the theatre and in the 1930s. The hero of the story, 17-year-old Richard Samuels, is too pure for the rough-and-tumble, sycophantic theater world that he seeks to enter. Based in real theatrical history, ME AND ORSON WELLES is a romantic coming-of-age story about a teenage actor who lucks into a role in Julius Caesar as it’s being re-imagined by a brilliant, impetuous young director named Orson Welles at his newly-founded Mercury Theater in NYC, 1937. The addition of McKay's brilliantly combustive Welles make the theatrical rehearsal sequences a joy to behold instead of drearily formulaic, making Linklater's latest film a charm to behold for even the most cynical of audiences. Add the first question. I had wished to see the film, "Me & Orson Welles," directed by Richard Linklater, when it was new, but only saw it tonight, via DVD. It is based on a novel regarding the circumstances surrounding Welles's 1937 production of William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" for the Mercury Theatre, and stars Christian McKay, Claire Danes, and Zac Efron. It is ultimately the presence of the titular character which rescues the film from becoming yet another "cast rehearsing a play" film, as the dynamo of Welles tearing through the film at all the least expected moments creates a sporadic force of havok keeping the film continually off kilter, preventing it from descending into cliché and keeping it consistently interesting as consequence. I came across the trailer for this film on youtube knowing nothing but who Orson Welles was - not the director, what it was about, when it came out, or how critics had responded. An ensemble piece examining the health risks involved in the fast food industry and its environmental and social consequences as well. Christian McKay gets the role of a lifetime, and he takes the heights of Welles' egotistical, confident, maniacal, studiously controlling persona and makes a rich antagonist/mentor out of him. The story of the Newton gang, the most successful bank robbers in history, owing to their good planning and minimal violence. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. See the fabulous presenters and gracious winners at this year's Oscars. Cues, staging, rehearsals, romance, rivalries: he has a lot to learn. (2008). Claire Danes is also on top form as a good hearted but endlessly ambitious member of Welles' company, and Ben Chaplin and James Tupper are endearing presences as eccentric members of Welles' calamitous company.As unconventional a project as it may be, Me and Orson Welles remains one of the most unashamedly lighthearted and enjoyable forays into nostalgia in many a year, breezily blending the serious with the silly while never skimping on historical fact. Despite others with official roles as producer John Houseman, this production belongs to Welles, the unofficial/official dictator. It is based on a novel with the same name. An undercover cop in a not-too-distant future becomes involved with a dangerous new drug and begins to lose his own identity as a result. Perhaps if a more competent young actor played Richard, the … It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Three old high school friends meet in a Michigan motel room to dissect painful memories from their past. In yet another fictional biopic (like My Week With Marilyn), Me And Orson Welles is about a larger than life character,and a time and a place. Blending the conflicting elements of an indisputably difficult character as easily as he nails the trademark voice and appearance, McKay's Welles alternates between devilish charmer and explosive force to be feared, shaking up the film with similar vigour and nuanced genius - one of the most impressive cinematic debuts in recent memory. Called "one of the best depictions of male adolescent yearning ever to Duck Dodgers and the Return of the 24½th Century. Summary: Based in real theatrical history, Me and Orson Welles is a romantic, coming-of-age story about a teenage actor who lucks into a role in "Julius Caesar" as it's being re-imagined by a brilliant, impetuous young director named Orson Welles at … Everything about the great OW is fascinating to me.He was the greatest ever probably! Twenty-four years after his death at 70, Welles is more than ever a Great Man. Completing the package, Linklater's rare tackling of a period piece demonstrates his typically astute ability to capture the feel and flavour of the times, with the earnest ambition of the 1930s well complimented by subtly stylish sets and costumes while simultaneously avoiding beating the audience over the head with more overt details of the time (instead of the potential hackneyed Nazi allusions, Linklater includes merely a brief radio snippet which is quickly cut off, a classy and subtle inclusion). How old were you when you saw your first foreign language film? The film itself is a delight. A man shuffles through a dream meeting various people and discussing the meanings and purposes of the universe. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Enjoyable film. I found a link, watched the movie online, and bought it the very next day. While the story's lightness of touch does make some of the plot points either overly obvious or unbelievable, a film so unassumingly enjoyable fails to evoke much complaint - whether dabbling in the dramatic or the comedic, Me and Orson Welles remains refreshingly cheerful and earnest, and all the better for it. Written by Towards the end of the film, Welles plays a duplicitous and self-serving trick on Richard in order to keep him in the troupe for opening night. Me and Orson Welles (2008) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Many reviews of ME AND ORSON WELLES describe is as a lighthearted homage, a delightful backstage story, and so on. Travelling or based outside United States? The history is delightful, and the underlying statements about creativity and genius is gentle but profound while remaining light comedy with an edge, historical but with the feel that you are watching real people. Undergoing a difficult transition from teenage heartthrob to dramatic lead, Zac Efron gives a surprisingly solid performance as the idealistic young actor swept into the wild world of Welles, convincingly contributing charm, comedy and genuine sympathy to the emotional centerpoint of the film. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Me and Orson Welles A schoolboy stumbles upon a major role in Welles's production of Julius Caesar in this sublime adaptation of Robert Kaplow's book Christian McKay, left, … Huggo, The career of Richard Linklater has proved one of the most delightfully eclectic in the film industry, veering between works as diverse as teenage subculture films (Dazed and Confused) to philosophical romances (Before Sunrise) to drug-addled paranoid thrillers (A Scanner Darkly) to mainstream comedies (School of Rock). Drama ensues. A group of suburban teenagers try to support each other through the difficult task of becoming adults. I learned about this film from watching a "American Masters" about Richard Linklater on PBS. Use the HTML below. The message, to me, is that the meek shall inherit the earth. Me and Orson Welles is a 2008 period drama film directed by Richard Linklater and starring Zac Efron, Christian McKay, and Claire Danes. These requests include everything, even those of a sexual nature. The impersonations include Liev Schreiber in “RKO 281” (1999), Angus Macfadyen in “Cradle Will Rock” (1999), Christian McKay in “Me and Orson Welles” (2009), and Tom Burke in … Video availability outside of United States varies. Situated in the swank, golden glow of theatrical nostalgia that is 'Me and Orson Welles' is a truly great performance. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2021, Good book but the fact it's supplied by a billionaire who wants to deny his staff a living wage detracts from it, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2018, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2016, Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. His world collides with that of Richard (Zac Efron), a teenager who yearns to move beyond the confines of his high school. Me and Orson Welles is a 2008 British-American period drama film directed by Richard Linklater and starring Zac Efron, Christian McKay, and Claire Danes. In other words, whatever Welles wants, the cast and crew better deliver. And yet it is somewhat fitting that such a whimsically talented modern director should examine one of cinema's most legendary mavericks as Linklater's latest, Me and Orson Welles is a charming addition to his body of work, a breezy, self- reflexive yet nostalgic celebration of the mediums of performance as experienced alongside one of the most dynamic and influential figures ever to impact them.The agile script ably captures the conflicting clashes of the behemoth of a personality that was Orson Welles, from the explosive temper tantrums to the slyly manipulative charm to the casual womanizing, painting a vivid (but likely not larger than life) portrait of the man without either romanticizing or demonising him. Out on DVD exclusively at Tesco NOW! The irresistible story of a stagestruck boy coming of age in the golden era of Broadway--with some very famous supporting characters--Me and Orson Welles is a romantic farce that reads like a Who's Who of the classic American theater. Although the poster makes ME AND ORSON WELLES out to be a tribute to Welles and the magic of performing, it is a much darker story than that. Based on Robert Kaplow's novel of the same name, the story, set in 1937 New York, tells of a teenager hired to perform in Orson Welles's groundbreaking stage adaptation of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar who becomes attracted to a career-driven production assistant. In 1937, a teenager is cast in the Mercury Theatre production of "Julius Caesar", directed by a young. There, he meets and begins a casual friendship with Gretta Adler, their friendship based on a shared love and goal of a profession in the creative arts. Rent Me and Orson Welles (2008) starring Zac Efron and Claire Danes on DVD and Blu-ray. When presenter Preston Sturges announced Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles as the joint winners of the 1942 Academy Award for Citizen Kane’s screenplay, neither man … Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2020. Check out some of our favorite superhero stars from movies and television, before they suited up. And the first thing to learn is never upstage Mercury Theatre's genius director, 22-year-old Orson Welles. -8/10. Was this review helpful to you? The Stranger is a 1946 American film noir starring Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, and Orson Welles. Welles consistently cheats on his pregnant wife. Zak Efrom and Claire Danes are very good but the actor playing Wells, Christian McKay is phenomenal! This FAQ is empty. It’s 1937, and wunderkind thespian Orson Welles (Christian McKay) is at a make-or-break moment, about to open a modernized version of Julius Caesar at the Mercury Theater. Makes me sorry I missed it the first time it was released, and even more sorry that there was no recognition for Christian McKay portraying Orson Wells. Zac Efron as Richard Samuels and Claire Danes as Sonja Jones in "Me and Orson Welles." In 1980, a group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. View production, box office, & company info, In November 1937, high school student and aspiring thespian Richard Samuels takes a day trip into New York City. "Me & Orson Welles" (notice the audacity of putting "Me" before "Orson Welles") is a scathing portrayal of the unapologetic one-upmanship and venomous diva mentality which apparently dominates the entertainment industry and always has. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Welles and the theater are not heroes at all in this telling. 'Me And Orson Welles' – By Richard Linklater - Starring Zac Efron. Old were you when you separate art from morality review is and if the reviewer the! Support each other through the difficult task of becoming adults to start this! Simple average the fabulous presenters and gracious winners at this year 's Oscars the universe about. 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