James McAvoy’s directorial debut tells the true story of Silibil N’ Brains, a rap duo from Dundee. When they got fed up with not being taken seriously by people in the music business, they pretended to be American and found themselves with a record deal.
I had no knowledge of this deception and found the film an entertaining ride, if a little predictable. McAvoy directs with a real energy that is appropriate for the material. Samuel Bottomley and Seamus McLean Ross are impressively authentic as the duo, whether they are Scottish or American. Lucy Halliday makes a lot of a role as Silibil’s girlfriend, and McAvoy clearly enjoys himself as a slimy record company head. I could have done without James Corden’s toe-curling cameo though.
The ending is a little pat, but this is an enjoyably slight drama with a decent amount of laughs.
Rating: 7 out of 10