Reviewed by Doug Cooper
Stars Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay,
Ben Chaplin, Zoe Kazan, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, James Tupper, Leo Bill, Al Weaver, Iain McKee, Simon Lee Phillips, Simon Nehan
Written by Holly Gent Palmo & Vince Palmo
Certification UK 12A | US PG-13
Runtime 114 minutes
Directed by Richard Linklater
I had never heard of the actor Christian McKay before this movie, but by god does he give a wonderful interpetation of Orson Welles - it's easily one of the best performances of the year. This is a young Welles mind - before he was monstrously fat and earning his crust from doing sherry commercials. McKay plays him in the early stage of his career, with zestful energy and a flighty attitude, shepherding his Mercury Theatre actors for a run of Julius Caesar in New York in 1937. He gets the voice just right - deep and over-confident and the mannersisms to match, imbuing the character with a beguiling and very entertaining intensity.
He takes on young Richard Samuels (Efron), a 17-year-old student with dreams of theatrical stardom, to play a small role and it's through the boy's eyes that we see the week long rehearsal process and the colourful characters he comes across, including the nervous and temperamental lead actor George Coulouris (Chaplin), the harassed producer John Houseman (Marsan) and the insecure and flirtatious actress Muriel Brassler (Reilly).
He also becomes good buddies with the company womaniser Joseph Cotten (Tupper) but none make a greater impression on him than Welles' office girl Sonja Jones (Danes). Richard falls head over heels for the gorgeous secretary and though she reciprocates she doesn't regard the boy as a serious candidate for her affections. She's intent on meeting David O Selznick after all.
Richard grows up during the week he's with the players, experiencing first love, his stage debut and the intimidating and prickly behaviour from Welles - and Efron makes a brave a stab at the role. He's believable but bland, convincing when adolescently tormented but lacking the vigour and comic timing that is required too. Danes is fine as the object of his infatuation, in a part she could play in her sleep to be honest, as it requires no great stretch but she fills it well - and all the supporting turns are a delight. Chaplin is excellent as the terrified actor and Tupper a likeable lech.
But like Efron, the film could do with a little more energy. It's a wistful and very engaging tale, consistently enjoyable to be sure but overall lacking the vibrancy of its star performance. McKay is the reason to go see this movie. It's one of those rare occasions where an actor and a part jell so perfectly that he might have trouble of ever finding a role to better this. Either way, he's magnificent and must be seen. A top turn in an amiable effort.