This yr’s Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant is stuffed with outstanding actors making their directorial debuts, from Scarlett Johansson to Euphoria‘s Maude Apatow. Amongst this class is James McAvoy, who arrived in Toronto this weekend to unveil his new film California Schemin’. Based mostly on a real story, the movie is an ode to McAvoy’s house nation of Scotland, and it is a blast.
California Schemin’ dramatizes the story of Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd (performed right here by Séamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley, respectively), two aspiring rappers from Scotland who, after dealing with discrimination because of their thick accents, fooled the music business into believing they have been from California as a substitute. It is the type of eccentric true story that appears tailored for a film, and McAvoy brings it to life with loads of high-spirited vitality.
Once we first meet them, Gavin is nearly too shy to get via all of his verses, and Billy stays unflappably supportive. The 2 work the identical dead-end job as telemarketers alongside Billy’s girlfriend Mary (Lucy Halliday), and Gavin regularly calls file labels within the hopes of getting signed. Nonetheless, the British labels are sometimes postpone by his thick accent, and it solely will get extra pointed when the pair attend an in-person audition in London and get cruelly laughed out of the room.
Their luck adjustments when Gavin, impressed by Billy’s ways at work, tries on an American accent when calling a label. Regardless that he has little to supply past his voice, it will get their foot within the door, and earlier than lengthy, they’re cozying up with file execs and making music – all whereas claiming they hail from Los Angeles.
California Schemin’s Two Leads Give Sturdy, Star-Making Performances
California Schemin’ then depicts the boys’ meteoric rise because the group Silibil N’ Brains, displaying how rapidly fame and cash bought to the each of them. It appears McAvoy and screenwriters Archie Thomson and Elaine Gracie are extra within the influence the lie had on their friendship and the individuals round them, a meaty battle to discover.
Whereas Billy quickly realizes the hazard that they are in and longs to reconnect with Mary, Gavin will get excessive on the success – each figuratively and actually. Ross actually will get to indicate his star potential right here. Initially the extra reserved of the 2 boys, he takes on a manic edge as he seeks to carry onto his newfound fame by any means mandatory.
Ross turns into fascinatingly darkish in these scenes, which permits him to play off Bottomley’s earnest nature completely. We absolutely purchase into their friendship, and so when all of it begins to crumble, we really feel the betrayal keenly. This is because of each Ross and Bottomley’s chemistry, and the previous camcorder footage McAvoy weaves into the early portion of the film, which, as we study through the credit, attracts from the true Bain and Boyd’s house motion pictures.
James McAvoy Brings A Clear Sense Of Identification To California Schemin’
It feels each nostalgic and charmingly down-to-earth, highlighting their humble origins to distinction with the privileged world they enter. Basically, McAvoy appears to be drawing from his personal upbringing in Scotland to form the visible type of California Schemin’, and it pays off, absolutely immersing the viewers within the boys’ world.
McAvoy has been open about how insistent he was on making his directing debut intrinsically Scottish, and it is fascinating to see how California Schemin’ grapples with the nation’s identification. Gavin and Billy’s brutal rejection based mostly solely on how they communicate is a sobering second, and this thread solely will get extra compelling when it is revealed that the pinnacle of their new file label can be Scottish (performed by McAvoy himself).
On the similar time, the film may be very conscious that these are two white boys attempting to make it as rappers, so it isn’t probably the most drastic type of discrimination on the market. McAvoy does a great job acknowledging the absurdity of their place whereas additionally displaying loads of hometown delight and affection.
Maybe the most important shortcoming of California Schemin’ is the ending, which is tied up a bit too neatly contemplating how messy Gavin and Billy’s downfall is. All the pieces involves a detailed not lengthy after the boys’ intense ultimate confrontation, so the general influence of this devastation is lessened.
Nonetheless, this can be a sturdy directorial debut for McAvoy, with a compelling story, loads of humor, and a well-rounded supporting solid. Halliday’s Mary is a standout, exuding heat and avoiding what might be a really stereotypical function. Rebekah Murrell can be nice as Tessa, the burgeoning music exec who discovers the boys.
These not accustomed to Bain and Boyd’s story will doubtless be pulled in by the eye-catching premise, although it appears the film does take a good quantity of liberties and dramatizes issues significantly. In fact, we count on nothing lower than pure drama for the true tales that make it to the large display, and California Schemin’ has loads of that.
California Schemin’ premiered on the 2025 Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant.
California Schemin’
7/10
- Launch Date
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September 6, 2025
- Runtime
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101 minutes
- Director
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James McAvoy
- Writers
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Archie Thomson, Gavin Bain
- Producers
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Man J. Louthan
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Séamus McLean Ross
Gavin Bain
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Samuel Bottomley
Billy Boyd
- James McAvoy’s directorial debut has a robust sense of identification that elevates its story.
- Leads Séamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley have nice chemistry and provides star-making performances.
- The story neatly acknowledges the truth of the boys’ scenario.
- The ending wraps issues up far too neatly contemplating the messiness of the battle.