Working at a cinema, it's the films that only get a week's run that I tend to rush out and see. 'Taking Woodstock' a good example. A big name director was involved, with an unknown lead, but what looked like a charming story. 'Me and Orson Welles' is much the same, but rather than an unknown lead, it was always going to be about the unknown support. Had Christian McKay's portrayal of Orson Welles not been hailed by critics left and right, I probably would have stayed clear of this, the latest offering from Richard Linklater ('Dazed and Confused', 'School of Rock' and more impressively 'A Scanner Darkly'). I'm still not quite buying Zac Efron post-Disney, and Claire Danes hasn't made a decent movie since 'Romeo and Juliet'. So when all of the reviews pointed me in the direction of the unknown British actor, Christian McKay, there was a slight generation of interest. If nothing else, I would enjoy watching two American 'stars' being upstaged by someone in their first major role.
That pretty much sums up my feelings now that I've seen the film, too. Although I thoroughly enjoyed it overall (the production/costume design was most impressive, as was the screenplay), from the moment McKay appeared onscreen, the focus was on him and no one else. While fellow Brit Ben Chaplin contributes positively to a few scenes, it is all about McKay's interactions with Efron from start to finish. I really couldn't care less about any of Danes' involvement with our two charming leads as she was absolutely useless as the shared love interest.
Before settling in to watch 'Me and Orson Welles', I had already come to the conclusion that I would only be watching for McKay's performance and had almost resigned to the idea that his performance was all that I would enjoy. That's not strictly true, looking back. Although watching the film with that mentality certainly made it easier to look past Efron's Richard and Danes' ever-fickle Sonja, there were definitely some additional winning elements. Technically, it is superb. Linklater has again captured the sheen of the time with a perfect Hollywood gloss, and the relatively simple sets and beautifuly designed costumes (along with McKay) really bring this movie to life. Noticeably, while sparkling throughout, the sets are not as expansive as one would expect, nor do they need to be. Over half the film takes place in Welles' Mercury theatre, and the result is an ensemble cast that feels genuinely close knit. It almost feels as if Linklater has drawn on the directing styles of Welles himself, and transferred them into his own cast, his own film. He enables the viewer to immerse themselves in the theatre to personally endure the tireless preparation that goes into a Welles-directed Broadway show. By the time 'Caesar' opens, you feel like you have been there, rehearsing alongside Welles since day one. You are already familiar with the scenes and the characters, so to watch them deliver with such grace and fluidity makes the climax to 'Me and Orson Welles' all the more gratifying.
Will McKay be nominated for an Academy Award? Absolutely. He came out of nowhere and lit up the screen. From his tone to his mannerisms, Christian McKay is Orson Welles. He manages to capture the charm, the determination, the passion and the arrogance of Welles in his first scene and gives a truly breathtaking performance that will leave a smile on your face long afterwards. Whether or not he can compete against the likes of Christoph Waltz, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson (?) is debatable, but I'm sure a first-time actor like McKay would be over the moon just to be mentioned in the same breath.
A movie that overuses the term 'swell' in the first half, yes, but a wonderful little picture overall. A nice change of pace from the blockbusting 'Avatars' and 'Sherlock Holmes's' the holiday season has graced us with, I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who has ever acted on stage.
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