Cool News
Massawyrm tells the tale of he, ME AND ORSON WELLES
Hola all. Massawyrm here.
If there’s any film that best represents the current state of chaos in the industry right now it is ME AND ORSON WELLES. A festival favorite for the last year, this has long been considered a sure thing pick-up that just never found a studio to actually pick it up. People love it, it’s got a big up-and-coming star in a film that will have wide appeal as well as prove to be critic friendly. But everyone mysteriously passed on it, a sad sign of the state of indie acquisitions, leaving the film to self-distribute. Which is something of a small tragedy considering how good a film it really is.
ME AND ORSON WELLES is the latest offering from local Austin workhorse Richard Linklater and his first major work since his brilliant A SCANNER DARKLY. I’m exactly 50/50 on Linklater’s films, loving a full half of them and strongly disliking the others. And oddly enough it isn’t along indie/mainstream lines. I’m equally mixed on both his personal stuff and his studio work. This is one of his rare films in which he managed to make a film with mainstream appeal as one of his personal indies – and it really is quite good.
The film stars Zac Efron as the “ME” in the title, a fictional character named Richard Samuels who at the tender age of 17 gets a small role in the Mercury Theater production of CAESER, Orson Welles infamous/immortal 100 minute modern dress version of Shakespeare’s classic JULIUS CAESER. But make no mistake, while the film centers around the coming of age antics of Efron’s Samuels, he is not the center of the film. He is an intriguing tool through which Linklater gets to tell a story about Orson Welles.
ME AND ORSON WELLES is, at its heart, a film giving us an honest outside-looking-in view of Welles without having to deal with the issues of making him the main character. Rather than having to adhere to the general Biopic formula, we get to see Welles in his environment, both at his most likable and most detestable, in an unvarnished look at his genius and megalomania. Being able to see him through the likable eyes of a kid he gives his big break to, while also seeing him dick our protagonist around a bit, allows us to have someone likable to cling to without them having to soften Orson in the slightest.
Efron is fantastic here and is doing a great job slowly breaking away from his HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL roots. Every outing he’s had since his Disney days has allowed him to prove himself more and more and he appears to be only a dark role or two away from finally departing from his pretty boy image the same way Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp broke away from theirs. While I’m not entirely convinced that he’s playing on their level, I see a very similar glimmer in him that we saw from Depp in his 21 JUMPSTREET days and Pitt in his pre-12 MONKEYS, COOL WORLD/THE FAVOR/LEGENDS OF THE FALL era. He’s incredibly likable and nails the emotional peaks that Samuels endures at the hands of a raving egomaniac like Welles.
And of course the big story is Christian McKay, the relative newcomer who knocks his performance of Welles right out of the park. Welles is tricky. In this day and age his voice is best known as the basis for the inspiration of The Brain in PINKY & THE BRAIN and has long since joined the ranks of the likes of Cagney, Wayne, Nixon and Presley in the realm of accepted impressions that don’t actually sound like their subject. But McKay nails it and transcends simple imitation finding his way into the realm of immersion. His Welles is fascinating, a marvelous, charismatic, arrogant son of a bitch who you can’t take your eyes off of. Watching McKay do Welles doing Brutus is a special treat all its own that makes for a late movie snack capping off his performance perfectly.
Linklater constructs a wonderful tale here, bringing to bear all the things he does best. It is a sweet, coming of age period piece that tangles with the messiness of relationships while juggling a bevy of likable small characters each given just enough time to be interesting. While not compelling enough material to be among his very best films, this rests very easily in the higher end of his filmography. A solid, highly enjoyable film, it is one of those rare indies that I’m going to beseech you to seek out and see at the theater. Self-distributing this thing can’t be easy, and of all the things opening against it this holiday weekend, this is (along with THE ROAD) one of the best. It is certainly the more accessible of the two.
A delightful venture, ME AND ORSON WELLES is tailor made for film history buffs, theater fans or anyone who enjoys period dramas. Light, fun and a real treat, this opens in limited release this Thanksgiving.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
Got something for the Wyrm? Mail it here.
-
+ Expand All
-
cast as the next Bond Villian, no joke.
-
Be sure to eat plenty of Frozen Peas this season
-
I watched 17 Again, and was surprised by Efron, he might actually end up having a decent career if he picks the right films because he really can act. Which is becoming increasingly rare, in a world where Orlando Bloom continues to get work!
-
He's talented and is going to be around for a long time. The movie looks really good to me as well.
-
Prepositions (of) have objects and these need to be in the objective case (him). It's not rocket science.
-
Let's pal around with a famous chap for a short while, and then be on our merry way!
Is there a real story here or is this all about chilling with Orson? -
at least something good came from that movie.
-
Young Indiana Jones was awesome though!
-
Tapped it on the beach one night on Gilligan's Island!
-
The only parts I didn't like were the bookends featuring Matthew Parry. The whole Efron middle chunk was a blast, although some credit obviously goes to the hilarious Thomas Lennon and Melora Hardin.I am planning to check this out, sounds like it deserves my dollar. :)
-
Twilight stars have taken over his and hsm castmates' teen idol image, now he's trying to be DiCaprio. Unfortunately, DiCaprio already had some cred before Romeo and Titanic, most people never knew zac existed before hsm. Saw him on gaptooth last night; if he doesn't do anything good within a little while he's gonna be the new Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
-
YOUNG INDY never clicked with me for some reason. I watched a few episodes but I thought its premise of matching Indy with the likes of Duke Ellington and Teddy Roosevelt was a little bit much. Every week he had to be with some famous person, like a who's who of the 1910s? I don't want a heart-warming talk of adventure with Pancho Villa, sorry. But maybe I have to look at it again...
-
"What happens when a clueless German intern finds himself torn between his obligations to the most powerful man in Deutschland, and the girl of his dreams? Love, laughter and plenty of food for thought! Find out why critics are calling this the most heartwarming romance ever set in the Third Reich, and why in 2010 there'll be a furor over the Fuehrer!"
-
This line should be on the poster!
-
But it was a secretary, not an intern. The last 20 minutes is a laugh extravaganza. It's a movie so funny, people post one of the films integral scenes with new dubbing for added humor. You should check it out.
-
As hilarious as that is, there is already a film kind of like that. It's called Downfall and is about the last days in Hitler's bunker as recounted by his secretary. Ok, maybe it's not at all like that, but the title would have worked.
-
beat me to it.
-
They both started out where Efron is, the heartthrob who chicks love but dudes are like, "ehhhh." He keeps moving away from that though, we may have a winner on our hands.
-
I saw it, but I have to say that it took a definite turn for historical inaccuracy when Hitler freaked out over Kanye interrupting Taylor Swift at the VMAs...
Maybe I had the subtitles set wrong... -
I remember one scene where Cusack's character said "Hitler, I'm going out for a sandwich, you want anything?" Wow.
-
Biitttchhhh pleeeasseee! That guy's just a haircut.
-
That's the best line in MAX.
-
Nov 25, 2009 11:06:42 AM CST
All you fags who saw 17 AGAIN- turn in yr geek cards stat!
by zombieheathledger
and report immediately to perezhilton for anal bleaching.
-
Nov 25, 2009 11:22:44 AM CST
Really surprised by all the praise this kid is getting on here.
by gqtaste
on here. He's known for singing and dancing around while on the basketball team and appears to have the beauty regiment of Nicole Kidman et al women.
-
The kid may have some charisma but he isn't even close to a Depp or a Pitt.
-
He fucking danced up a storm. Professional.
-
In 15 years, Efron will be playing Superman- put that shit in the books, geeks.
-
the fact that people compare Efron to Pitt and Cruise makes me weep for humanity. It's just the the sick justification as Justin TImberlake as an actor (he's terrible btw),it's a case study in how Hollywood can package someone and the public will follow like sheeps. Pitt and Cruise were immediately charasmatic, astoundingly talented actors. Right from teh get go. Especially Cruise. His early career is absolutely insane with one fantastic performance after the other. Pitt exploded onto the screen in Thelma and Louise in his late twenties, and even in some rocky performances that followed he always chose excellent material and top tier directors to work with. Efron is a Disney star, he was then and he is now, he isnt breaking away from anything. He's making middle of the road indies (and Me and Orson Welles is indie in name only basically) because agents today are more savvy of longevity than they were int eh days of David Cassiday. And unlike Pitt, Cruise, and especially Depp, Efron doesn't have an ounce of edge and to compare his looks to those guys is ridiculous. Every single one of those actors had a palpable sense of darkness behind their eyes, Efrons round dough boy face and orange glow tan convey nothing but slickness, yet because he can speak lines without drooling and passing out he's somehow "breaking away" from the mold. I remember hearing the same thing about Lindsay Lohan, who despite popular belief was never EVER a major talent.. Its sad that people actually buy into this,and if it keeps up an entire generation of actors is going to be lost.
-
used to work @ disneyland. He said that there was a special line for celebrities, which is understandable. He said he saw zac with another guy, as in they were like bert and ernie. I caled bs that he was with vanessa "let me try out this camera" hudgens. He went into a fruit fit and said of course he's not gonna come out since he was the posterboy for the hsm franchise. Just sharing. Not that I care, but whether he's gay or not he's got a long way to go *before he even gets* to "early Depp or Cruise." Personally I think he's even shorter than cruise, and that's gonna be a hinderance if he wants to be an action star like he claimed in this one interview. And no he will never be Superman. EVER.
-
this is sort of like My Favorite Year....only fatter.
-
...I am so on board for this movie. Glad to hear it's decent. Efron's involvement had me freaked for a minute. I'm with you guys. Where are all the real men? Even Cruise and Pitt are too metro for me. What happened to stars like Bogie, Cagney, Fonda, Brando, and even the 70's guys like Nicholson and DeNiro? Why can't our actors have character on their faces, deep lines and crags and expression, rather than perfect skin and hair. Even the young guys back then had lines on their faces, I mean James Dean could have used an iron on his. Man, the current crop of actors are either underwear models like Chanum Tating, or manboys who never hit puberty like Toby McGuire, Leo, and Gyllenhall. And I swear, their eyes are soulless. Like shark's eyes.
-
Clooney was on Roseanne. Tom Hanks was in Bosom Buddies. Gotta start somewhere, even if it means doing crap for a while. It's obvious from the review that the kid has some talent so as not to be laughable. Maybe he has a bright future. Maybe he'll be in crap till he's thirty and then off himself in a closet. But criticizing because he was in teeny bop crap during his adolescence, and might turn out to be a halfway decent actor reeks of jealousy.
-
And I think he played an asshole on both, lol.
-
This guy is a manufactured product and CONTINUES to be a manufactured product. The actors you brought up were young guys getting their own work as working actors. Efron is a Disney package since childhood ushered along to make moneya nd continues to be overhandled and put in safe a safe can be middle of the road fare. And like before those guys always showed a certain level of talent even at a young age. hanks had pitch perfect comedic timing in Bosom Buddies after all. ANd this review means nothing, Massawyrm has proven himself an easy to please dullard. I mean this fucking clown infers Efron has been effectively distancing himself from his Disney image...with what exactly? hairspray? 17 Again? most of the reviews paint Efron as passable at best and lifeless at worst. Seems pretty accurate. And since when is "not being laughable" acceptable as an actor? Anyone with enough coaching can not be laughable (ok maybe not Hayden Christensen), there are a ton of good young actors out there who could do anything Efron can do in their sleep and much much more, it would suck to lose a generation of good actors to this store bought garbage. It's not that he's been in Disney fare, it's that he's a weak performer and being shoved down our throats. If he wants a shot at respect, let him earn it, rather than getting praised for being a bland straight man in a completely inoffensive dramedy. it wont happen though, his lack of charisma and league of handlers will see to that.
-
Say what you want about Lebouf, he's absolutely overexposed and probably undeserving of Spielberg golden boy status, but he's got an easy obvious charisma and naturalistic style that Efron lacks completely. Even while miscast in Indy 4, Lebouf still brought an energy that elevated a horrendous film no one else seemed to give a shit about making. Can you imagine if Efron had played that part? Ugh. I also just saw New York, I Love You yesterday and Lebouf has a small segment as a Russian immigrant gimp and he's very very good, best thing I've seen him do.
-
McKay, in a way, had been "preparing" for this role on the big screen for some time. For the past few years, he'd been playing Welles in a one-man stage production called "Rosebud: The Lives of Orson Welles," a performance which I had the pleasure of witnessing a few years back in England. I also managed to get a hold of a copy of the script from the writer himself. Great stuff, and I hoped that McKay would go on to greater things/and perhaps get to play Welles for cinema. I'm so glad Linklater "discovered" McKay at a performance of the play in New York, and definitely interested to see where this guy heads next! Anyone with an interest in Welles should march on over here as well, for the most comprehensive regular updating of Welles-iness...
http://www.wellesnet.com/ -
Sorry, don't see any subtext or talent in his performances unlike Depp (who was always a sly actor, even in Jumpstreet).
-
Unfortunately, the current crop of movie stars are merely reflecting the emasculation of the modern American man. Hollywood has to import its tough guys from Australia, England, etc. Hate to say it but most young American men are soft bellied, weepy pussies these days.
-
TRANSFORMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-
http://tinyurl.com/bns2x4
-
You really should give Young Indy another look, there are some wonderful episodes, the jazz ep with Harrison Ford is great. And most of the war eps are really good. The dracula ep is genuinely creepy too.
So many famous faces in that show, I watched one the other day, and the bad guy was a very young Daniel Craig! -
I don't agree on Efron in it, he was okay but nothing special but that doesn't matter because this is not a film about Efron, this is a film that uses his name to get a really fascinating film about Orson Welles made in an era when if you're movie isn't based on a toy you can't get funding! Christian McKay is phenomenal in this, it is like Welles lives again for 100mins. Go see it, it's easy to block Efron out and the film and everyone else in it (the guy playing Joe Cotten is also excellent) make for a great movie.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 419 total posts 209 posts
- WTF HOLLYWOOD: SOLARBABIES -- 131 total posts 129 posts
- Herc’s Seen Tonight’s Return Of THE WALKING DEAD!! Discuss Also DOWNTON ABBEY, FEAR FACTOR, PAN AM, ONCE, SIMPSONS, DYNAMITE, LUCK, SHAMELESS, BAIT CAR, THE GRAMMYS And More!! Sunday Is Sweeps Day 11!! -- 123 total posts 122 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 124 total posts 58 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 191 total posts 47 posts
- Avid Comic Reader Hercules Does Battle With Tedium During Kevin Smith’s COMIC BOOK MEN! -- 43 total posts 43 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 60 total posts 42 posts
- I am The Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day! No, I’m the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day! -- 27 total posts 27 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 506 total posts 26 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 77 total posts 24 posts