Harockerce What a beautiful movie!

SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Cem Lamb This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

SnoopyStyle Former British rock guitarist Lachlan MacAldonich (Robert Carlyle) gets a DUI one night. He's an agricultural worker and sells at a farmer's market. Little does he realize that the DUI could lead to his deportation. He is forced to confront difficult past mistakes.Robert Carlyle is an amazing actor, and he's able to give this character enough depth. He's a damaged individual who can't face up to his past. It's a heavy task to give such an individual more dimensions. And the story doesn't allow him to ease into a happy Hollywood transformation. His first meeting with his daughter is absolutely electric. This is a first class showcase of why he's an amazing actor.

t-kaymichel As both a professional musician and a Robert Carlyle fan, I couldn't wait to see this movie. Carlyle's performance was pitch perfect, and the story kept me riveted until the end.This reminded me of the sort of movies we used to see back in the 1970s, when film makers were more concerned with emotional depth than flashy special effects. Carlyle holds nothing back in his portrayal of washed up Britpop musician Lachlan MacAldonich. His work in this role contains raw honesty that is sometimes almost painful to watch. Anyone who's ever loved and despaired over an alcoholic loved one will recognize Lachlan MacAldonich's struggle to avoid the heartache that he, himself, has generated by his own chemical dependency.Sadly, there were two things which marred this movie for me. One problem was Alexia Rasmussen, whose youth and lackluster acting made her ill-suited to the role of Beau. Though she's certainly easy to look at and wears a hat quite well, there was no real spark during her scenes with Carlyle. And since Beau didn't appear much older than Lachlan's daughter Ari, it made me uncomfortable to watch Carlyle's much older character chasing after her.The major flaw was Marshall Lewy's total ignorance of basic psychology, which made the ending a bit hard to accept. After watching this character slowly devolve while desperately fighting deportation throughout the entire movie, Lachlan's sudden turn-about during the last remaining minutes of the film just didn't ring true. Instead of wasting footage with moody shots of Lachlan staring out the window during train rides, a bit more dialog which offered some foreshadowing of Lachlan's mental processes would have made better use of screen time.Despite its weaknesses, Robert Carlyle makes 'California Solo' worth watching. In fact, all of the actors except Rasmussen were excellent, especially A. Martinez and young Savannah Lathem, who portrayed Lachlan's daughter. This is the sort of thought-provoking film which is becoming increasingly rare in this age of over-the-top special effects, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone searching for something with a bit more depth.

Brooke Summerlin As an avid movie-goer, I was tired of gimmicky super-hero movies and bloated franchise films. Those kinds of blockbusters serve a purpose: providing the perfect background noise for cramming fistfuls of over-priced popcorn into your mouth. But, "California Solo" is like a piece of fine dark chocolate. It sits on the tongue, melting slowly, and the flavor stays with you long after the last bite has dissolved.It has been two weeks since I watched "California Solo," and I cannot get Lachlan MacAldonich out of my head. His character is so complete, dynamic, and layered—Lachlan isn't a character in a movie but a character in life. Some of his flaws he puts on display for all the world to see while others he keeps carefully hidden. He is hardly aware of his own misery, which gives us a sense of compassion for him despite the mistakes he has made.We get the sense that "California Solo" is not a beginning or an end for Lachlan. Rather, the events of the film serve as a turning point in Lachlan's life. His past is riddled with mistakes, his present with an almost desperate avoidance, and his future with a surprising glimmer of hope.There is so much to the story Marshall Lewy has written that it cannot possibly be contained in a 90-minute film. This is why "California Solo" stays with you for so long after the credits roll. There are a hundred little back-story avenues which Lewy alludes to, but does not have time to full explore. However, Lewy maintains a masterful control over his story, providing the audience with enough details to recreate Lachlan's past in our own minds.In recent years Robert Carlyle has brought villains (I use the term loosely) to life on sci-fi/fantasy shows such as Once Upon a Time and SGU Stargate Universe. Carlyle has a knack for bringing empathy to characters who are difficult to love because they are so adept at pushing people away. His portrayal of Lachlan is no less than what we've come to expect of his exceptional abilities. Carlyle disappears into the role so completely that the focus is on Lachlan not the actor bringing him to life.The supporting cast is fantastic. Danny Masterson's injects energy into the film with his portrayal of DJ/fanboy, Paul. Lachlan's boss and friend, Warren, is portrayed by A. Martinez with the gravity the role demands. Scenes with Savannah Lathem, as Lachlan's daughter, are especially touching when they could have been clichéd and melodramatic. The cast works well together creating just the right kind of tension and chemistry."California Solo" fills the void of the post-Oscar season and cures your summer blockbuster blues. Lewy and Carlyle bring you a story so rich and genuine, you'll forget to eat the popcorn altogether.

corrosion-2 California Solo is a laid back and entertaining character study. In recent American movies, the character studies (as opposed to biopics) of musicians have tended to be of those belonging to the country & western branch (Crazy Heart, etc.). So it's nice to see one about a British rock and roll artist. Robert Carlyle is perfectly cast as a former Scottish rock musician, now emigrated to USA and working on a farm in California. His only connection with music is the tributes to other rock bands of his era that he records at home for a local radio station. A clash with the law, which threatens deportation back to Scotland, forces him to face his inner demons and past. The film is carried by Carlyle who is both endearing and totally believable as a has been rock musician. The music is good, as is the direction and cinematography. Great fun.