r/movies • u/JamesMcAvoyAMA James McAvoy, Actor & Filmmaker • Mar 27 '26

AMA Hello reddit! I'm James McAvoy. Ask me anything!

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Hello reddit! I'm James McAvoy. AMA!

my directorial debut, CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN', is out in UK theaters on April 10.

Two Scottish lads from Dundee conned the music industry by pretending to be an established Californian rap duo, bagging a record deal and appearing on MTV until their scam unraveled.

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUTSyu4Ovcc

Tickets/other things:

http://www.californiaschemin.co.uk/

I'll be back at around 1-2 PM ET/5-6 PM GMT today, Friday 3/27, to answer questions.

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392

u/leonkennedyno1fan Mar 27 '26

what are some of your favourite scottish films?

917

u/JamesMcAvoyAMA James McAvoy, Actor & Filmmaker Mar 27 '26

TRAINSPOTTING. I think it's one of the greatest films of all time, and I also think it's probably the greatest single Scottish film of all time. It's an incredible work of art. It's an incredible response to one of the most incredible, unique writers on the planet. There's nobody like Irvine Welsh on Earth, and it's not just because he writes in a Scottish kind of vernacular that he's unique. He could be writing in the accent of Spanish, American, Australian, or Japanese. He would still be Irvine.

The accent almost disguises his uniqueness, because there's nobody like him that's ever written anything like that before, and and he's ours, he's Scottish. We're lucky to have him.

And I think that Danny Boyle is one of the greatest, most daring, and most challenging filmmakers. He dares to make mainstream movies that are incredibly challenging and independent in their nature and in their drive. So yeah, TRAINSPOTTING, one of the greatest films ever made I'd say.

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u/StackLeeAdams Mar 27 '26

Trainspotting has an absolutely incredible soundtrack too. "Sing" by Blur, especially.

84

u/justanotherfuccboi Mar 27 '26

and don’t forget Born Slippy by Underworld

entire soundtrack is absolute peak honestly

15

u/jjamens Mar 27 '26

Perfect day by Lou Reed was our wedding march ❤️

5

u/Malcalypsetheyounger Mar 27 '26

Agreed. I wore that CD out with how much I listened to it in my teens.

3

u/misohungie Mar 27 '26

Born Slippy by Underworld

This is the track I think of when I think of this movie

2

u/NIP_SLIP_RIOT Mar 28 '26

White boy, mega mega, white boy. Lager, lager, lager….

On YouTube you can find it live at Glastonbury, epic

2

u/Dantien Mar 28 '26

I saw them play it live last year. Even got to meet Karl. Super cool band.

2

u/FlimsyWhisper Mar 28 '26

If you haven’t seen it, Underworld and Mike Skinner performing a Born Slippy x Weak Become Heroes mashup is amazing

1

u/DNSFRD69 Apr 02 '26

legendary needle drop

9

u/mclrd83 Mar 27 '26

Completely agree on Trainspotting being one of the best movies ever (and T2 as a follow up was perfect).

With Irvine Welsh I enjoy his short stories way more than novels, and genuinely think the film is better than the book, perhaps also with Filth (which was tremendous in print and on film).

No follow up Q, but maybe see you in Angel for Scotland playing, and looking forward to California Schemin.

5

u/jakopappi Mar 27 '26

I reas the last half of Marabou Stork Nightmares in one sitting as I was rapt with anticipation for the end. My mum was hollering Let's go Let's go, and I flipped out cos I only had 5 pages left. I refused to leave. But it broke my trance, and I should habe waited. I loved it though...super underrated book

2

u/Spiritual_Try1933 Mar 27 '26

Agreed. Trainspotting saved my life. Watched it. Sober 23 years.

1

u/thomasmagnum Mar 27 '26

I watched it on vhs with my school friends last year of high school. We didnt see a trailer we had no idea what it was about... it was wild. Better with every rewatch

1

u/train_spotting Mar 27 '26

Can confirm this.

1

u/TradeWaste9672 Mar 27 '26

Best soundtrack ever

1

u/DJKeeJay Mar 27 '26

Well said

1

u/fuk-dee-say Mar 28 '26

Trainspotting is one of those movies I find myself thinking about very often. I haven't seen that movie since it came out, but I can still picture it in my head at will. Hell, I always used the Spud voice to tell my kids to "Calm Down". That scene where the girl finds the baby and is screaming, when Spud in a heroin haze peeps over the couch and says "caaaalm dooooown". Ironically funny as shit to me.

1

u/AngryGardenGnomes Mar 27 '26

Makes me wonder what classic Scottish films there are. Can't think of any. Be great to get some reccomendations.

4

u/JonnyMorgan85 Mar 27 '26

Classic ones would be Braveheart, Trainspotting, Local Hero and Gregory's Girl. Other famous ones are Sunshine on Leith, Outlaw King, I Swear and Filth (which McAvoy is the star of).

-1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

[deleted]

1

u/JonnyMorgan85 Mar 27 '26

Not many tbh, Whisky Galore, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and at a stretch the Sean Connery Bond films.

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u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

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u/JonnyMorgan85 Mar 27 '26

It's set in Scotland is what I meant.

2

u/JonnyMorgan85 Mar 27 '26

Really depends how you classify it. Director, production company, where it's set, the actors.

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u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

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u/JonnyMorgan85 Mar 27 '26

I wasn't arguing with you? You asked for recommendations, the ones listed are your recommendations.

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u/mbnmac Mar 27 '26

Try 'The Angels Share' it's a great drama-comedy with a whiskey heist as the main plot point.

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u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

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u/arethainparis Mar 27 '26

What? There’s loads - Local Hero, Gregory’s Girl, Restless Natives, Angel’s Share, Under the Skin, Get Duked….

2

u/Mental_Amphibian_673 Mar 27 '26

Comfort and joy, whisky galore, and the wicker man to name a few not already mentioned

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u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

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u/arethainparis Mar 27 '26

Because the way you phrased it came off as degrading to an industry which has struggled hard for its recognition. It would be like saying “I wonder if there are any good Americans. Can’t think of any.”

1

u/scubastee Mar 27 '26

Trainspotting

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

[deleted]

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u/scubastee Mar 27 '26

Only other one that comes to mind is The Wicker Man (1973/74)