A wee story from the early 2000s, which has a lot of heart and energy.

Gavin and Billy have a big dream of becoming rap sensations. The only problem is, they are from Dundee, Scotland. Rejection of their music on account of their accents sends them on a mission to reveal the systemic prejudices.

California Schemin’ is the directorial debut for actor James McAvoy, and is based off the memoirs of Gavin Bain, one half of the title’s central rap duo. It stars Samuel Bottomley, Seamus McLean Ross, Lucy Halliday, Rebekah Murrell, and James McAvoy. Directed by a Scot, promoting Scotland, the film is very faithful in its location scouting and shooting. Locals will certainly recognize areas of Dundee City and Glasgow City.

But does it stack up as a complete package?

The film follows Gavin (Ross) and Billy (Bottomley) in their humdrum life in early 2000s Dundee. While Billy has his partner Mary (Halliday) Gavin struggles to cope with his lot in life. All three of them work in a call centre, but the two lads rebel by writing rap lyrics. An opportunity takes them down to London, where their audition is laughed at and cut short… While this does threaten to send Gavin spiralling into depression, the two opt to put on American accents and try again. This time though, they use their fervour to show how unfairly they’ve been treated. A plan, for sure. But will it succeed?

Despite being Scottish born and bred, and even living in Dundee for a time, I hadn’t heard of rap duo Silibil n’ Brains. Although granted, it isn’t my type of music. But a local story, directed and starring McAvoy got my attention doubly.

Overall, the film is a competently directed experience. It captures a very particular moment in time. We don’t quite have mobile phones yet, we have camcorders and use telephone booths. Oh, and rap music is insanely popular, and Americana is gripping the United Kingdom like a vice.
The performances are all very good. Especially from Lucy Halliday (2026’s The Testaments) as the lifeline the boys have, tethering them back to their Scottish roots. Ross and Bottomley are excellent in giving the energy of 2000-era music personas. Loud, abrasive, and very naive, yet loveable. We want to see them succeed; their music is good, and when they are laughed off the stage for simply being Scottish… it is genuinely heartbreaking. The music is convincing and energized. The actors look like their real life counterparts. Both sell the accents.

Of course, their plan to fight back against the man does not quite go according to plan. Like all musician biopics, the glitz and glamour of pop stardom warps their personalities. Compounded by the lie they are selling to an increasingly large number of people. It is a tragedy, at times. A comedy in others. But throughout we are compelled by these characters and the transformations they go along.

It is… a peculiar film as well, though. As mentioned, Americana was rife back then. Our characters are representative of the fact by pretending they are from “greater L.A.” It is strange to watch a time capsule in 2026 where America was so highly regarded.
Stranger still, is the film’s coy attempt at addressing prejudices against Scots. Our protagonists are indeed set on this questionable course by this prejudice, which was depicted as cruel and unfair. Yet, the film has an off note towards the end which says: “Come on, you were overreacting. Calm down.” Add to that the fact that the true story suggests it wasn’t just one rejection.

Oh, and the film has James Corden in it, albeit briefly. A negative in itself.

I had a good time watching California Schemin’. It was nice to watch a story from familiar times and familiar places. The performances are excellent and convincing. If you enjoy musician biopics and British true stories, you should check it out. The flaws are mostly in its narrative translation to screenplay. The rest is solid.

Additional Marshmallows: 3.5/5 if you really don’t like James Corden.