Critic Reviews

• Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

  Lewy's script doesn't cop out with any sentimental redemption, but neither does it establish why the self-destructive Lachlan deserves our sympathy.

• Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

  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.

• Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times

  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.

• Kyle Smith, New York Post

  The story trickles to a disappointing close. But Carlyle, who first gained attention here for his unforgettable work in "Trainspotting," remains an essential character actor.

• Ella Taylor, NPR

  It treats its themes of guilt and responsibility with delicate tact and a precise eye for the neglected commitments that stubbornly dog a man trying his damnedest to efface himself from the world.

• Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

  A wry, mournful study of midlife crisis ...

• Annlee Ellingson, Paste Magazine

  Carlyle gives a nuanced performance--perhaps too nuanced, as the character's overall arc amounts to a blip of resignation.

• John Esther, UR Chicago Magazine

  It is not that the film is bad or boring so much as it is forgettable.

• Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

  Clunky and lacks bite, but mostly engrossing thanks to Robert Carlyle's heartfelt, nuanced performance that adds complexity which the screenplay lacks.

• Robert Levin, amNewYork

  Anchored by Robert Carlyle's strong, naturalistic performance, in which he relies on his big smile and sad eyes in equal measure.

• Eric Kohn, indieWIRE

  Even as California Solo plays like a track we've heard before, it's still worth a listen.

• Noel Murray, AV Club

  The movie becomes a character sketch, carried by its wealth of detail and a fantastic Carlyle performance.

• Marshall Fine, Hollywood & Fine

  No one has written a part for Robert Carlyle that gives him this kind of chance to show his range since The Full Monty. And that was 15 years ago.

• Tomas Hachard, Slant Magazine

  Robert Carlyle's performance compensates for the film's less successful elements and even makes you wonder if they might be strengths.

• Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

  One of the U.K.'s unsung character-actors, Carlyle sinks his teeth in and gives a remarkable performance.

Read all 15 critic reviews