King of California

KING OF California may not break any records for innovation of thought or script but it is a tightly made little film that allows veteran actor Michael Douglas a lollipop of a wacky role to remind us that he does have comedic talent! It also gives 20-year old Evan Rachel Wood the opportunity to compete with a Pro and come out an equal - quite a feat for such a young actress. Written and directed by Mike Cahill the story does have appeal, especially since it is set in Santa Clarita, California, a rapidly developing 'hinterland' that is suffering from the effects of too rapid industrialization, changing from a picturesque remnant of California raw beauty into yet another perky little town.

Charlie (Michael Douglas) has been in and out of mental institutions for his wacky behavior. His life as a jazz bassist and entrepreneur has always veered off the map, leaving him alone with his only daughter Miranda who has survived her father's irresponsible life by keeping the old family home (in the midst of a huge housing development) with the money she makes double shifting at the local MacDonalds. When Charlie is released his focus is on discovering the gold left behind by Catholic priests in the mid 1600s, a fact he has researched while hospitalized, on the Internet, and from the journal of one of the priests. Miranda slowly buys into Charlie's madcap scheme and adventure as a gold hunter and the caper results in a bonding between father and daughter that has been teetering on the brink of disaster for years. The manner in which Charlie, Miranda, and an old ex-con friend Pepper (Willis Burks II) go after the treasure provides most of the energy of the film.

Yes, there are bits and pieces of this project that have been done many times before (and often better), but the pleasure of KING OF California lies in the bravura and touching performances by Douglas and Wood. This is a pleasant excursion of a movie, worth an evening's gander. Grady Harp

This film is about a recently released mental patient who is obsessed with finding hidden treasure mentioned by a 400 year old journal.

"King of California" is an interesting film. It starts off slow, but it the pace becomes increasingly quick along the way, and at the end the pace is too quick to grasp everything. I cannot not really understand the ending because so much happens within a short amount of time. I like Michael Douglas' portrayal as a psychotic person. He is not over the top, and yet looks and acts crazy enough. His character is likable and goofy. Evan Rachel Wood is also great in the film. This is a good piece of independent cinema. It is inspiring and heart warming I hope it gets more attention than it is having.

Make no mistake about it. Evan Rachael Wood is fast becoming a most welcome addition to the rising wave of young stars in films today. I totally admired her work in 'Thirteen' (2003),and 'Running With Scissors'(2006). In this one, she plays the daughter of a recently released mental patient (Michael Douglas,sporting an unkempt beard)who is obsessing over buried treasure somewhere in the suburbs of California. Michael Douglas makes his performance as Charles work nicely, acting like a loony that was released from the home a bit too early, in contrast to Wood's anchor that holds things together. The screenplay does contain a few potholes along the way, but not enough to make this worth avoiding.

This is a film about the relationship between a father and his daughter. The daughter is extremely responsible, and more mature than dad. Dad is an irresponsible dreamer, and the role reversal is intriguing. Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood nicely compliment a very clever script. If you are the type of viewer who demands complete logic in everything that happens on the screen, you will not enjoy "King of California", because the story requires you to suspend disbelief. If you enjoy a treasure hunt, even one that is chasing smoke, then by all means see this film. It has a nice message,"you've got to believe in treasure to find it" - MERK

The King of Calinfornia features excellent performances and character development from Michale Douglass and Evan Rachel Wood. Douglass' character is especially weird and wacky, but respectable. The film is very slow moving, but enjoyable. The film is definitely not as it appears to be about the extrinsic treasure hunt. Rather is more of an intrinsic hunt for the relationship and love between a misguided father, and his prematurely grown-up daughter.

The film has a great balance of drama and humor, with just a touch of adventurous excitement. Other posts have similar offerings regarding the quality and depth of this film.