Review: ‘King of California’

Travis:

King of California sort of slipped in under the radar. I remember reading a brief synopsis in a local theatre newsletter and thinking “that looks kinda good.” With all good intentions, and while trying to ration my time in the theatre appropriately, I did not end up catching this one until the recent DVD release. I think this is one of those handful of sleepers that are released each year that don’t get the attention they deserve. Michael Douglas plays Charlie and Evan Rachel Wood plays Miranda, Charlie’s 17 year-old daughter who’s been living by herself for the past two years, working double shifts at a McDonalds to barely pay the bills.

Charlie, as Miranda insists on referring to him, suffers from some sort of mental illness, but its never really addressed directly as any specific illness. Charlie has spent two years in a mental health institute and its him time to go home. Miranda is waiting for him as he is released and they go back home, but Charlie quickly begins showing signs of delusions again. Miranda begins to loose her calm as Charlie is convinced he has a fix on a treasure of Spanish gold which was hidden in southern California.

In time, and after losing everything, Miranda finally decides to give in and join her father in his search. Often touching with its bitter-sweet drama of the human struggle, but also humorous in its truth is often stranger than fiction course of events, the story takes the audience on a wonderful stroll through the wild and free mind of Charlie. Michael Douglas is surprisingly convincing and great to take in as this irrationally loose cannon, a role entirely out of his normal pigeon-hole. His performance often reminded me of the absent-minded behavior of Steve Zahn (Happy, Texas) combined with the slacker-free spirit persona of Jeff Bridges’ The Dude.

Ultimately this fun and honest, while often unrealistic, tale of a man searching for his true calling results in a pleasing realization for Charlie that his true calling was to create a better life for his daughter. The film succeeds in its slightly surreal, just outside of reality approach to telling the story, creatively supplemented with occasional animation and some quirky encounters between characters.

(4 out of 5)

Zac:

Mike Cahill creates a character based comedy that works and holds interest but plods along and doesn’t suck us in like it should for most of the film.
The premise sounds fun, and is at times, but it is very deliberately paced and feels far longer then its hour and a half run time. The movie follows the mis-adventures of Charlie, the insanely crazy eyed mad bearded Michael Douglas, a recently turffed mental patient and his 16 year old daughter Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood) who has been working and paying the mortgage while she has been left at home alone. Upon Charlie’s return he is immediately on the quest for the lost gold treasure of a group of monks in the 16th century that leads the pair down potential and family issues along the way. There isn’t a lot of plot to deal with and we slowly follow Charlie as he narrows down the potential spots that hold the treasure.
The plot eventually leads them to a Cost Co and their attempt to find the river caves flowing underneath the store that hold the buried treasure. It’s when the story reaches this point that the film is its most enjoyable while also serving as the third act for the film.
I think the story didn’t suck me in like it hoped due to the fact that I am unconvinced by Wood’s performance. She just isn’t believable as Miranda and it doesn’t help her cause that the character herself is unbelievable; in the bad way. Miranda did have a couple of lines that made me laugh but most of the comedy is given to Charlie and Pepper (Willis Burks II) in the hilarious events involving him at the end. Wood just wasn’t believable as the emotional core and her emotions were just not affective.
Douglas is having a ball as Charlie though, as he should, and the movie was clearly sold on the character alone. He is fun and entertaining for 90 min, but the film feels more like a highlight reel for the craziness of Charlie more then a cohesive story. Charlie does sell us on the adventure in the end, even if we might not believe him; I just wish I was more invested throughout.
The film is a moderately entertaining romp that showcases a fun and eccentric character. If you weren’t a fan of Wood before this film like me, she isn’t going to change you here, and she might hurt your overall enjoyment of the film as well. If your a fan of Douglas check it out, and for some light hearted humor you can’t go to wrong with this one either.

(3.5 out of 5)

[rating: 3.75/5]

DVD Features:

• Audio Commentary with the director, cinematographer & production designer.
• Making of King of California featurette.
• Outtakes
• Theatrical Trailer