Me & Orson Wells (2009)

I actually read the book that this movie is based on. It's the story of a high school boy with dreams of the theater who ends up with a small part in Orson Wells 1937 Broadway production of Julius Cesar. Its the kind of story that straddles that line between juvenile literature and more adult fair. Zack Efforn is adequate as the juvenile lead, and Clair Danes reminds you how charming she can be in the part of the boys love interest, but it is Christian McKay's Orson Wells that caries the film. McKay's performance has been heralded by some as the best portal of Wells in film and I think I'd have to agree with them. Wells is an over sized personality, and egotist, and doubtless one it would have been hard to work with, or even just get along with, but he's still fascinating and you can't help but like him no mater what he does. The rest of the cast is good, particularly James Tupper as Joseph Cotten. It's a lite film, not too taxing, not to innovative, but satisfying, and I thought it improved as it went on. The outdoor lighting an sets are designed to reinforce the lite mood of the piece, and a nice selection of period songs enhance the nostalgia factor. A great deal of the leads 'back story' is edited out but ultimately the film works fine without it. On the whole its a good movie that mostly avoids pretension. Grade: B-