California Solo
Strand Releasing | Release Date: November 30, 2012 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisNov 29, 2012
A wry, mournful study of midlife crisis. Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnNov 29, 2012
Even as California Solo plays like a track we've heard before, it's still worth a listen. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumNov 28, 2012
There's a lovely gravity and specificity to the story that transcends instances of bumpy filmmaking. Read full review
75
ObserverRex ReedNov 28, 2012
In a bravura performance that is the primary don't-miss reason for its existence, he (Carlyle) gives California Solo all he's got; even in scenes that just exist to pass the time, his presence informs the essence of the man he plays and the humanity of the film itself. Read full review
70
NPRElla TaylorNov 29, 2012
Even with its strong supporting cast, I doubt this small, finely observed movie would have seen the commercial light of day without Carlyle in the lead. Amid the deafening roar of big Oscar-bait pictures, I'm glad it's there. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayNov 28, 2012
California Solo doesn't have much story. All of the details above are established in the first five minutes, then the movie becomes a character sketch, carried by its wealth of detail and a fantastic Carlyle performance. Read full review
63
New York PostKyle SmithNov 29, 2012
Carlyle gives a quietly engaging performance as a Golden State farmworker with a secret in the likable indie California Solo. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineTomas HachardNov 24, 2012
Robert Carlyle's performance compensates for the film's less successful elements and even makes you wonder if they might be strengths. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesMark OlsenDec 6, 2012
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 full review
60
New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNov 29, 2012
Fans can be forgiven for offering this predictable indie some excess generosity, simply because writer-director Marshall Lewy had the good sense to build a movie around such a versatile lead. Read full review
60
Time OutSam AdamsNov 27, 2012
Marshall 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 full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyNov 25, 2012
The minor-key film benefits from Robert Carlyle's soulful performance in the central role, bouncing back and forth between dulled resignation and self-destructive anger. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam LaceyFeb 28, 2013
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 full review
50
VarietyRobert KoehlerNov 25, 2012
A former rock 'n' roller withers on the vine in California Solo, Marshall Lewy's forgettable sophomore effort (after a promising beginning with "Blue State"). Read full review
40
Village VoiceNick SchagerNov 27, 2012
Any transformation feels like a device, and any modest hopefulness comes across as simply the unearned wishful thinking of the filmmaker. Read full review
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62 Critic Reviews

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