California Solo 2012

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: A wry, mournful study of midlife crisis ... Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: The star is vibrant and touching in every scene, often providing character revelations where none appear in the script. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: The movie becomes a character sketch, carried by its wealth of detail and a fantastic Carlyle performance. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: There's a lovely gravity and specificity to the story that transcends instances of bumpy filmmaking. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: Robert Carlyle's layered performance as an embittered musician facing his demons gives this fragile drama some emotional heft. Read more

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. Read more

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. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Carlyle commits 100%, making Lachlan a guy worth watching, even when we know exactly where he's going. Read more

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. Read more

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. Read more

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. Read more

Sam Adams, Time Out: Lewy's film functions largely as a delivery system for Carlyle's performance. Luckily, Carlyle's tough, tender turn is strong enough to carry the load. Read more

Robert Koehler, Variety: Lewy's script is less attuned to the way rock 'n' rollers talk, and more concerned with pressing character and story details in as direct a fashion as possible. Read more

Nick Schager, Village Voice: Any transformation feels like a device, and any modest hopefulness comes across as simply the unearned wishful thinking of the filmmaker. Read more