It's hard to understand what happened to Richard Linklater's latest. Big premiere, lots of press, and then NOTHING. Raking in only $2m worldwide on a $25m budget, one can't help but think Richie won't be making a movie for a year or two. Perhaps the biggest problem was how to promote the film's star, Zac Efron. The fabled Orange One, considered a star by those under 15 but not an actor by anyone above this age, simply wasn't a convincing draw for an adult motion picture. Which is a great shame, as Me and Orson Welles is probably one of the best films never seen.

With an affable performance, Efron plays Richard Samuels, an actor/dreamer who happens to stumble upon a role in Julius Caesar. The only difference being that this is Orson Welles' Julius Ceasar, prior to his Citizen Kane Hollywood fame. Part coming-of-age drama, part celebration of theatre, and part biopic, Me and Orson Welles is held together by an extraordinary performance by the relatively unknown Christian McKay. Playing the larger than life Orson Welles, McKay nails the fits of spite, arrogance, humour and sharp self-doubt perfectly. Like Welles as Citizen Kane, Mckay towers in his exploration of an enigmatic, illusive figure. Shame there weren't any Oscars this time around. And a pity Clare Danes has nothing to do.

While the film bombed, it represents another triumph for Linklater, the most versatile of Hollywood's young directors. Adding period movies to his reportoire of sci-fi, drama, romance and crowd-pleasing comedies -High School Musical this ain't. Me and Orson Welles graduates with honors. Fun, breezy and full of wit, I'd love to say seek it out on DVD. But it missed the mark so badly financially, nobody wants to release it. Your loss entirely.
4 Bananas people.

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