2011-04-06

Me and Orson Welles

Me and Orson Welles (Richard Linklater, 2009)


Only the evocation of this title leaded me to great expectations for this film. Its director, Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise, Waking Life, School of Rock) is capable of bliss but also of so-so films.

The idea of a film about one of the most mythical persona in film history is very interesting. Although, I think the man himself would have hate to see a film about him. But, the cinephile I am the subject captivated me. In 1937, Welles directed Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar setting it in the fascist Italia of Mussolini. It was a terrible success and it helped the ever growing fame of Orson Welles.

However, this story is only a real event set-up for a fictional rom-com starring teen sensation Zac Efron. Well, this part of the plot feels like "déjà vu" and really tired. The better scenes of the movie are the ones with Christian McKay impersonating Orson Welles with an outstanding capacity. Many anecdotes of Welles' life are put here and there among the film and they are interesting blinks to the cinephile who can recognize them.

Overall, Linklater offers an above average film from with a mouth watering prime idea. The whole problem here is that the entire film lacks of consistency and some scenes are excellent while others just turn flat... I must admit that the film let me hungry and thirsty. I should probably rewatch something like Touch of Evil or the Criterion edition of Mr.Arkadin to fill the void Me and Orson Welles let in my montruous cinephile appetite.

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