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California Solo

Play trailer Poster for California Solo 2012 1h 34m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
A boozy, washed-up rocker (Robert Carlyle) must finally come to terms with his inner demons when he is threatened with deportation in the wake of a DUI arrest combined with an old drug charge.
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California Solo

Critics Reviews

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Liam Lacey Globe and Mail 03/01/2013
2/4
Lewy's script doesn't cop out with any sentimental redemption, but neither does it establish why the self-destructive Lachlan deserves our sympathy. Go to Full Review
Walter V. Addiego San Francisco Chronicle 01/11/2013
3/4
Mainly worth seeing as a showcase for the appealing Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, who plays a has-been rocker reduced to eking out a living on an organic farm in Southern California. Go to Full Review
Mark Olsen Los Angeles Times 12/06/2012
2.5/5
In some sense, "California Solo" is like meeting an engaging stranger: At first there's a certain air of enigmatic mystery that makes you want to spend time with them, but eventually things turn awkward and you just want to get away. Go to Full Review
Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 08/06/2019
A melancholy portrait of a man forced to face significant demons from his past, imbued by the simple, sad, solo that is Carlyle's affecting performance. Go to Full Review
Annlee Ellingson Paste Magazine 12/31/2012
5.8/10
Carlyle gives a nuanced performance--perhaps too nuanced, as the character's overall arc amounts to a blip of resignation. Go to Full Review
John Esther UR Chicago Magazine 12/08/2012
It is not that the film is bad or boring so much as it is forgettable. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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11/08/2014 Carlyle was very good in this movie, but it wasn't an original or memorable story. See more 09/06/2014 California Solo is about a Scottish man that is pulled over one night for drunk driving and due to this little incident actions for his deportation start happening and he tries to fight tooth and nail to stay in the USA even goes as far a getting his ex and his daughter involved. THe story is touching etc and shows that immigrants are not just the arabs or the asians it can also be white folk. The reviews say that Robert Carlyle you may know him better for his role in "The Full Monty" He plays well but i have seen better performances. Nice story would be better in novel form. This does not have anything that would effect children but the subject matter could be found to be boring for young minds. See more 05/14/2014 This is one of the best movies I have seen in a while. See more 03/10/2014 This was a nice little indie film featuring an actor who has faded out of the mainstream (Carlyle) but continues to do solid performances in film. Its kind of a sad film, but it also brings good vibes and inevitably facing your past, sooner or later. See more rosemarie i 10/28/2013 This film follows Lachlan MacAldonich, a former British rock star, through the inevitable resolution of a lifetime of bad decisions. This isn't a fairy tale; though far from sunny, the promise of a second chance does appear before the film's end. The expertise of this tiny shred of hope further adds to the film's authenticity and emotional impact. Carlyle's performance is deeply honest, and he seems perfectly at home with MacAldonich's rage and fear and regret. The linear narrative expressed isn't what a typical movie-goer would expect, but it works here thanks to an incredibly human story and a good supporting cast. Though there isn't much new ground to tread with the life of a rock star gone wrong, California Solo manages to find its footing in this soulful, truthful tale. See more 04/12/2013 As always, Robert Carlyle's performance is nothing short of beautiful. Nuanced and layered as his characters always seem to be. He's a man who makes mistakes, but you feel for him, want him to pick himself up and be better. The only thing that holds me back from giving it 5 stars is the ending, which felt a wee bit unsatisfying and anticlimactic. See more Read all reviews
California Solo

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Movie Info

Synopsis A boozy, washed-up rocker (Robert Carlyle) must finally come to terms with his inner demons when he is threatened with deportation in the wake of a DUI arrest combined with an old drug charge.
Director
Marshall Lewy
Producer
Mynette Louie
Screenwriter
Marshall Lewy
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 30, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$15.4K
Runtime
1h 34m
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