California Schemin’ (15)

15th June 2026 8:00pm (Doors open at 7:00 pm)

Kirkgate Centre

Truth is stranger than fiction in actor James McAvoy's directorial debut. Inspired by the real-life saga of Scottish rap duo Silibil N' Brains, a.k.a. Gavin Bain (Séamus McLean Ross) and Billy Boyd (Samuel Bottomley), the film follows the unexpected journey of two lifelong friends from Dundee who dream of hip-hop super-stardom. There's just one problem: nobody takes two white guys with thick regional accents seriously in the UK's early 2000s rap scene, especially not the London gatekeepers who laugh them out of an audition. Back home and humiliated, the pair hatch a plan so absurd it just might work: they'll reinvent themselves as hard-partying MCs from Southern California complete with fake backstories and convincing-enough American accents. Against all odds – and with sharp commentary on image, identity, and the music industry's obsession with authenticity – they take off, conning even one of the industry's top producers (McAvoy). But keeping up the lie without losing sight of what's real becomes harder as the stakes rise, and as cracks beneath the bravado and between friends begin to widen.

An incredibly fun ride… The film does not feel like the work of a first-time director. It is assured, confident storytelling that grabs the audience right from the start and takes them on this insane journey.(Dallas King – Flick Feast)

Starring: Seamus McLean Ross; Samuel Bottomley; James McAvoy; James Corden

Directed by: James McAvoy

Length: 105 minutes