How much are people judged by where they come from and what they sound like, and would changing an accent open the door for opportunities? In the case of two Scottish rappers who find all paths into the music industry closed to them until they pretend to be American, it makes all the difference, but it also threatens to change who they are, at risk of forgetting what defines their identities and the music they so much love to make. In his directorial debut California Schemin’, James McAvoy tells a distinctly Scottish story about trying to make it big and not lose sight of yourself along the way.
Billy (Samuel Bottomley) and Gavin (Seamus McLean Ross) live in Dundee and are getting nowhere after repeated calls to every music studio, getting hung up on once they start talking. After an audition leads to a brutal rejection, they make a call using American accents and garner immediate interest. A spontaneous and unsanctioned performance at a club gets them noticed by Tessa (Rebekah Murrell), a scout who pitches them to her boss (McAvoy). The plan is to get big and then use a major platform to expose what they call the “Scottishist” sentiment on live television, but the allure of fame makes them wonder whether they have to come clean or can just go on living and thriving as Americans.
This film is based on the true story of Silibil N’ Brains and makes use of much of the real music they performed while deceiving executives and the general public. It’s quite enjoyable to watch – and hear – them try to sound American, agreeing to speak in these invented accents and picking a random place just outside Los Angeles to use as their alleged hometown. Their act works quite well even though it’s laughable and full of holes, and Billy’s girlfriend Mary (Lucy Halliday) is always there to remind them that they’re making it all up as they go along.
Though its protagonists are doomed to fail in this particular endeavor because they haven’t thought everything through and are hopeless to completely resist the pull of success and acclaim, watching them try is an absolute blast, and this film never presents them as fully guaranteed to fail or deserving of pity. Peppered with dramatic moments and confrontations, this is first and foremost a comedy, one that features two fantastic leads. That this is one of Ross’ first roles is all the more impressive, and Halliday and Murrell offer critical support as the two people in their lives who are more sensible and want them to succeed but also to take even just one breath to consider the consequences of their actions, not just for them but also for those in their orbit.
McAvoy makes a seriously fun directorial debut with this film, casting himself in a small tyrannical role and letting younger talent carry this story all on their own. The performance scenes are energetic and exciting, and the script by Elaine Gracie and Archie Thomson is laced with terrific humor, some sophisticated and some completely dumb in the best way. This has the feel of a music biopic but with a distinctly comedic and Scottish flavor, sure to have audiences rooting for these two to make it, whether that’s as the American personalities they’ve created or as their authentic selves that no one thinks can be marketed or sold. Whatever outcome they’re cheering on, audiences should find this film to be wholly immersive and a great deal of fun, fueled by endearing, quality performances, funny dialogue, and a killer soundtrack.
Movie Rating: 8/10
