On Your Radar: California Solo
by Karen Pecota

Filmmaker Marshall Lewy wrote the script for his latest Indie film California Solo specifically with famous Scottish actor, Robert Carlyle in mind to play Lachlan MacAldonich. Lewy was elated when within a few days after Carlyle reads the script that he commits straight away to the project. Carlyle was a part of the music scene in the 90s so could identify with the era of music and its former key players. The film is all about a man in search of his destiny and the steps he takes to rediscover his soul. It was a life Carlyle saw up close and personal among the Britpop rocker folk that brings validity to his fictional character in California Solo.

Lewy teams up with cinematographer James Laxton to paint a different type of Los Angeles backdrop fitting to lonesome struggle.  Lewy describes his goal for the film visuals, "Laxton and I strove to give Los Angeles a cooler, earthier, less plastic treatment than if often gets in films”.

Synopsis:
Lachlan MacAldonich (Robert Carlyle), former leader of a 90s Britpop rocker  band, The Cranks, finds a life of solitude in the farmlands that surround the city of Los Angeles, California. He works hard all day for an organic farm and frequently sells the farm's healthy goods at farmer's markets in and around Los Angeles. Lachlan fosters his musical passion by recounting tragic deaths of well-known musical artists on his nightly podcast "Flame-Outs". The highlight of his week is connecting with BEAU (Alexia Rasmussen) who shops for the best produce at the farmer's market for her simple pleasure as a chef.

Lachlan, a good man with a reputation of being honest, trustworthy and faithful has not always been so upright. A former rock star and substance abuser, Lachlan confronts untouched demons from his past that surface when charged with a simple DUI. The charge is serious enough to jeopardize his legal residency in the United States. He is threatened with deportation. The depth of the matter crushes Lachlan's effort to become a changed man. Lachlan must beg his daughter and former wife to speak positively of his character. Lachlan must prove that leaving the country for good would cause "extreme hardship" to either his ex-wife or daughter, both of whom to him are currently estranged. Lachlan's path toward personal redemption starts with confronting the giants that stand in his way for true reconciliation to take place.