What can be said about "Me and Orson Welles" has already been said about every movie Zac Efron has ever been in. The movie won't change viewers' lives or their attitudes toward cinema, but it's certainly not without its charm.
"Me and Orson Welles" is a story about a 17−year−old aspiring actor named Richard Samuels (Zac Efron) who is offered the opportunity of a lifetime: to play Lucius in a re−imagining of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" set in fascist Italy and directed by the already famous radio actor Orson Welles (Christian McKay). As opening night approaches, Richard falls for older woman Sonja (Claire Danes), and this infatuation threatens to mix his personal and professional lives. The plot is simple and charming enough, but this is really all the positives that can be said about this film.
Viewers going to see Efron paraded about adorably in 1930s New York City apparel won't be disappointed. The star of the "High School Musical" movies (2006, 2007, 2008) looks every bit as good as he did in that prom tuxedo or basketball jersey.
For those viewers going to see if Efron can actually act: Beware. In his first foray into drama, Efron barely gets his feet wet. It is not entirely his fault: The film spends so much time being cute and nostalgic that it forgets to be dramatic, and Danes is not a believable partner for Efron, in looks or in performance.
Ironically, the movie's greatest strength is also the biggest obstacle facing Efron's attempted acting. The spot−on, powerful portrayal of Welles by British newcomer McKay (thankfully) overshadows Efron at every turn. Never has a movie been more appropriately titled, despite its grammatical curiosity. This movie is about some guy and Welles; it belongs to McKay, not Efron.
McKay's performance as the headstrong genius whose career has not yet caught up to his ego approaches absolute perfection. Audience members hate Welles, but can't take their eyes off of him. He dominates every scene, not only because of his position of authority in the plot, but also because when McKay belts out his lines, he commands the audience's attention in a way that Efron simply cannot match. As the film progresses, the audience can almost see Efron's acknowledgment of McKay's dominance forcing him to retreat to the background, which only serves to make Efron's bland performance even more insipid.
Director Richard Linklater gives Efron plenty of opportunities to shine with overused facial close−ups at key emotional points for his character, but to no avail. Even Efron's most climactic scene falls remarkably flat. In fact, the only times Efron seems comfortable in a scene are when he is wooing someone — either the underwhelming Danes as Sanja, or the positively delightful Zoe Kazan's character, a love interest closer to Efron's character's age.
"Me and Orson Welles" is an adequate film with a good heart. It fails as a period piece or a drama, but Linklater's feel for 1930s New York yields some creative scenery and costumes. And, in a way similar to that of Efron's earlier film "Seventeen Again" (2009), "Me and Orson Welles" does have just enough Efron−inspired charm to get by.
Most importantly, the film reveals a star on the rise in McKay, who conveys a pitch−perfect Welles, similar to Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in "Capote" (2005). It's a shame that McKay's talents have not yet been put to better use, but he steals the show and does the absolute best with what this film has to offer. While "Me and Orson Welles" is not a total loss, audience members expecting to see Efron's successful jump into dramatic features will leave disappointed.
