Me and Orson Welles

In High School Musical 1, 2 and 3 Zac Efron portrayed the ideal all American boy; handsome in a pretty way, talented at sports and able to sing like a pop star. In all three movies the dialogue and plots are hokey and the acting is over the top. With lines like "Dude, Ms. Darbus has snapped her cap!" Efron wasn't exactly quoting Shakespeare, but in the film Me and Orson Welles Efron is finally given a chance to not only perform a little Shakespeare, but also show that he can really act.

Me and Orson Welles is the fictional story of a high school student (Efron) who ventures into New York City one day and finds himself in an impromptu audition on the street for Orson Welles. After Welles sees that Efron's character Richard is able to carry a tune he is hired with no pay and a small part in Welles's new production of Shakepeare's Julius Cesear. Welles's production opens Richard's eyes as he gets sucked into the seductive and exciting world of theater. During the rehearsals for Cesear the drama, egoism and cattiness, which always occur behind the scenes during a show's pre-production, unfold into a spectacle more entertaining than the actual play. A self-absorbed actress worries obsessively about the lighting, rehearsals fall into chaos when music cues occur at the incorrect time, actor's fight over stage direction and sprinklers are set off, flooding the entire theater.

Then, on top of everything, there is Orson. This is Orson, famous for his radio shows and previous theater experience, but before Citizen Kane and The Third Man. Even at this stage he is a genius egomaniac who thinks he's so superior that he takes an ambulence to quickly get from place to place. There is a madness to his life. His pregnant wife is left at home while he flirts and seduces every beautiful woman around him. He shows no interest in keeping to a schedule or keeping to a script. He listens only to himself and knows that his creativity greatly surpasses everyone else's around him. He is someone you would never want to work with or be close to but he is completely entralling.

Christian McKay not only looks exactly like Welles at this time of his life, but also captures Welles's spirit and personality so perfectly that you forget you're not actually watching Welles. We, the audience, observe Welles through the eyes of Richard enhancing Welles's over-the-top personality and magnetism. As Richard is held captivated by Welles so are we and as Richard witnesses and experiences the theater so do we. It is this ingenious storytelling device, as well as great performances by everyone, that makes Me and Orson Welles an entertaining movie you can't take your eyes off.