Overview
A young aspiring actor's dreams collide with the chaotic world of theater and a legendary director.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- energetic
- warm
- theater lovers night
- historical drama evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's affectionate backstage recreation and Christian McKay's extraordinary Orson Welles performance, while finding its youthful protagonist and tone less consistently compelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film recreates the Mercury Theatre's 1937 preparation of Julius Caesar, including its set, rehearsal culture, and opening-night uncertainty.
Orson Welles controls the production through impulsive demands, theatrical ambition, and an unofficial dictatorship over the cast and crew.
Richard Samuels must decide whether appearing in Welles's production is worth enduring its escalating demands and ethical costs.
Christian McKay's acclaimed portrayal makes the young Orson Welles the film's central cultural and theatrical spectacle.
Films like Me and Orson Welles, and why
Shakespeare in Love
backstage theater drama with witty ensemble interplay and a young outsider entering a demanding creative world
The Dresser
historical backstage comedy-drama centered on artistic ambition, performance, and volatile creative personalities
Stage Beauty
warm, character-driven period drama about theatrical collaboration, rivalry, and the pressures of opening night
Noises Off
ensemble backstage comedy with romantic entanglements and affection for the practical chaos of live theater
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Linklater
- Release Date
- 2008-09-05
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (215)
Cast
- Zac Efron
- Christian McKay
- Claire Danes
- Ben Chaplin
- Zoe Kazan
- Eddie Marsan
- Kelly Reilly
- James Tupper
- Leo Bill
- Patrick Kennedy
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Me and Orson Welles about?
- A teenage actor enters Orson Welles’s feverish 1937 theater company and discovers that artistic opportunity comes with a price.
- What is Me and Orson Welles like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Me and Orson Welles as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Me and Orson Welles violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Me and Orson Welles.
- What did critics think of Me and Orson Welles?
- Critics broadly praised the film's affectionate backstage recreation and Christian McKay's extraordinary Orson Welles performance, while finding its youthful protagonist and tone less consistently compelling.
- Which films are like Me and Orson Welles?
- Films with a similar feel include Shakespeare in Love, The Dresser, Stage Beauty, and Noises Off.
- How long is Me and Orson Welles?
- Me and Orson Welles runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch Me and Orson Welles?
- In United States, Me and Orson Welles is available to rent or buy from Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
