Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

  • Starring: Christian McKay, Claire Danes, Zac Efron
  • Summary: Based in real theatrical history, Me and Orson Welles is a romantic, coming-of-age story about a teenage actor who lucks into a role in "Julius Caesar" as it's being re-imagined by a brilliant, impetuous young director named Orson Welles at his newly-founded Mercury Theater in NYC, 1937. (Freestyle Releasing) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 30
  2. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. 100
    The impersonation of Welles by Christian McKay in Me and Orson Welles is the centerpiece of the film, and from it, all else flows. We can almost accept that this is the Great Man.
  2. 80
    This is a movie of great spirit and considerable charm. It’s about the giddiness of promise--the awakening of young talent, after years of the Depression, to a moment when anything seems possible.
  3. Reviewed by: Kim Newman
    80
    A really satisfying backstage drama, this is an exhilarating tour around a man whose talent was almost as big as his ego.
  4. Surprisingly conventional by director Richard Linklater's standards, this pleasant, low-key dramedy is most memorable for the discovery of co-star Christian McKay.

See all 30 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. An enjoyable film packed full of great performances and interesting characters. Unfortunately Zac Efron, who plays the main character, is a very poor actor and he goes a long way in dragging the film down. If they had cast a better actor in his part this film would have been a lot better. Expand
  2. Once again Linklater proves that he can direct anything. This film is charming and entertaining. It works as a period piece, a biopic of orson welles and a coming of age story as well as a drama. Every aspect and genre in the film works extremely well. This film is made with so much skill it is astounding. Christian Mckay blew me away with his subtle nuances as Orson Welles. The only time the film kind of faltered for me was it's climax which is the play itself. Expand
  3. The bone-deep understanding that your life is so utterly without meaning. That simply to survive you have to reinvent yourself. Because if people canâ Expand
  4. EdwardK.
    7
    A very entertaining movie, but not a great one. How I would have loved to have seen Welles's production of Caesar, however!

See all 9 User Reviews