TIFF Review - Me and Orson Welles

Richard Linklater is a man well known for his films about hipsters, slackers, dopers and dreamers, but what about the bleary eyed innocence in the young man looking to make his mark on the world through the arts (and I don’t mean School of Rock). The Toronto International Film Festival hosted the world premiere of Linklater’s new film, Me and Orson Welles, a movie he said effectively checks the movie-within-a-movie concept and the Shakespeare picture, off his directorial to-do list. It’s a period comedy-drama that’s about art through determination, talent and sheer force of personality; the unstoppable force versus the nearly immovable object.

In a surprising, dramatic star turn, Zac Efron throws away his Wildcats uniform to play Richard, an aspiring actor still in high school in 1937 New York. One day he finds himself walking past the Mercury theatre during the lighting of their new sign. Richard’s skill at the drum roll impresses the man mounting the theatre’s production of Julius Caesar: Orson Welles (Christian McKay). Richard gets suckered in by Welles’ magnetic personality and bravado; his self assurance and confidence in his own artisanship. Richard also begins to fall for the company’s assured and attractive secretary Sonja (Claire Danes). Little does he know though, that all these new influences in his life are about to collide in a profound way.

Linklater’s cleverness is the way he dresses up what is actually a typical coming of age story into a day in the life biography of one of the 20th century’s biggest showmen, while also being an artistic period piece that exposes the virtues of the theatre. If Me and Orson Welles weren’t so intently focused on character, the whole thing might have felt trite. And Linklater’s proven himself as adept as Welles himself for taking the familiar and getting so far into it, that you don’t recognize the thing you looking at, because you’re seeing it from the inside. Wasn’t A Scanner Darkly, peeling away the high time humour and the animation, a police procedural, and Before Sunrise and its sequel, just a couple of people talking?

Rest assured though, there’s nothing usual about the final product here either. McKay, in his first film role, is the best Welles sine Live Schreiber in RKO 281, a really impressive performance even though I don’t think the voice was quite right. But the thing of it is, you’re not listening to the voice, but rather, like Richard, you’re being drawn in to the aura of Welles. That certain something that made you love him and not be able to forgive yourself for knowing it when he got repugnant. There is great humanity in Welles though as McKay plays him, both the good and the bad. A simple, whispered “thank you” to the back of the theatre manager (Eddie Marsan) as he leaves for the night says volumes about Welles’ character.

But really there are two star turns in the film, and as I’ve said the other belongs, inexplicably, to Zac Efron. He could feed off the High School Musical gravy train for at least another three years, but I admire the young actor for taking a chance on his talent by playing in this sandbox. He’s magnetic and charming, but also vulnerable and driven. You think he’s so mature but the way he handles things later with Sonja required Efron to play both sides of a polar opposite dichotomy equally, and he does so with grace. Danes, meanwhile has never been better I don’t think; she’s smart, sexy and just a little bit dangerous. The kind of girl you just know will take your heart and break it whether you realize it or not. I also want to highlight Zoe Kazan as Greta, a writer that Richard meets and befriends. I would have loved to have seem more of her, but I think she’s in it just enough to get you hooked on her motor-mouthed sweetness.

But this is a quality film that works on all levels, from the characters to the production design to the pacing. It’s unlike any Linklater film I’ve seen, but considering the big personalities involved, it feels in keeping with the rest of his oeuvre. It’s a small film that looks big and it’s personal despite its scope. I think its one of Linklater’s finest and that’s really saying something considering some of the other films that he’s made. I hope that Me and Orson Welles gets a wide release because it’s probably the best thing with the Welles name attached since Citizen Kane.