I & Orson Welles

That he can sing and dance properly, Zac Efron has already proven in the "High School Musical" movies. But now it is his heart's desire to also be able to show that he is more than just a little teen star. And that's where the lead role in Richard Linklater's "I & Orson Welles" comes in just right, as Efron plays a young man who wants to be taken seriously as an actor.

Richard (Efron) is supposed to be in school. Instead, however, he prefers to try his hand as a stage actor. In the latest production of Orson Welles (great: Christian McKay), of all things, Richard gets to stand on stage for the first time. But the reality is far from being as dazzlingly beautiful as the young man imagines the New York theater scene to be. For as brilliant as Welles is, he is also eccentric, moody and imperious. Envy, competition and the constant fear of being replaced are everywhere. But Richard seems to have a chip on his shoulder with the director - until he falls in love with assistant director Sonja (Claire Danes)...

With films as diverse as "Before Sunrise", "School of Rock" and "A scanner darkly", Richard Linklater has made a name for himself as an extremely versatile director, capable of directing commercial cinema as well as experimental films or independent productions. "I & Orson Welles" is a successful blend of all Linklater's strengths. The film's story is more in line with straightforward mainstream cinema, while the production exudes the charm of small independent productions. The light-footed production is supported by wonderful actors, among whom Christian McKay as Orson Welles stands out. The intensity with which McKay plays the imperious and brilliant egomaniac makes this film worth seeing on its own. McKay manages to believably convey to the viewer that Welles was a character to both love and hate. It's impossible to resist the appeal of this character, for which Christian McKay deserves the highest possible praise.

But the rest of the cast, from a truly charismatic Zac Efron to a charming Claire Danes to an intensely acting Ben Chaplin, also make the viewer feel like they're truly immersed in the world of theater in 1930s New York. Filled with great dialogue (which admittedly loses a bit of quality due to dubbing) and small enchanting moments, "I & Orson Welles" may be a small film, but at the same time it is quite great cinema. An enchanting declaration of love to the theater, to love and to life and exactly therefore: absolutely worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp