California Schemin'

McAvoy creates a story of ambition, prejudice, and performance that gives Scotland’s underdog spirit its due. It isn’t a flawless directorial debut and stumbles in places, but it plays like an anthem for outsiders with a dream.

There’s an interesting metaphor here for McAvoy’s own career as a Scottish man who earns a crust by perfecting a range of accents and character types. Yet its feelgood arc is all a little predictable and soft-edged.

As light as McAvoy’s touch might be – this is a film, after all, that features a James Corden cameo – there’s more to do here than simply cheer the boys on and hope they get one over on the Oxbridge elite. There are bigger questions to ask, and California Schemin’ is willing to ask them.