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King of California

Play trailer Poster for King of California PG-13 2007 1h 33m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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62% Tomatometer 66 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Charlie (Michael Douglas) gets released from an insane asylum and moves in with Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood), the young daughter he left behind. Charlie believes that there is treasure hidden beneath the local Costco, so he puts together a plan to unearth the loot. By convincing Miranda to quit her job at McDonald's and instead work at the wholesale store, he is able to obtain a key. Although Miranda is skeptical, she helps her father with his irrational quest.
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King of California

King of California

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Critics Consensus

A quirky and often touching comedy about a mature teenager and her manic depressive father, King of California is a charming tale of familial relations and treasure hunting.

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Critics Reviews

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Mark Holcomb Time Out Rated: 3/5 Nov 17, 2011 Full Review Toddy Burton Austin Chronicle The story is simple, sometimes to a fault, and ultimately Cahill doesn't quite pull off all of the majesty that he attempts. But, I'm excited to see what he'll come up with next. Rated: 3/5 Oct 20, 2007 Full Review Peter Howell Toronto Star The most remarkable thing about King of California is how the characters grow on you, and how their quixotic quest becomes ours. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 12, 2007 Full Review Heather Huntington ReelzChannel.com For an 'adventure movie' full of quirk, King of California can feel a bit flat. Rated: 6/10 Aug 25, 2008 Full Review Joseph Proimakis Movies for the Masses ypotonikis ekdohis toy National Treasure (2004), poy aromatizetai katatonia aneksartitoy amerikanikoy, komple me to flyaro voice over gia ypokatastato tis afigisis kai liges ksekoyrdistes country hordes sti moysiki ypokroysi gia to sosto feeling Rated: 2/5 Jun 29, 2008 Full Review Caffeinated Clint Moviehole 'The King of California' is an easily-entertaining film that features two bravura performances. Douglas plays the character of the loony treasure-hunter Charlie with zest, passion, comedy and, well, hyperactivity - its Jack Colton post-drugs, if you will Feb 11, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Georgan G A strange tale of a mentally ill father & his teenage daughter. It kept me interested to see what would happen. Still don't know after watching. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/24 Full Review Kyle M Initially intrigued but slowly unconvincing as the narrative bonds therapeutically across improbability towards conclusive surrealism on a calming, ambiguous note. It only seems that the film relies purely on how its estranged father-daughter pair functions from addressing mental issues to burdened struggles. A few relative notes assist the brewing sweetness, all while both performed well with nuanced weight and charismatically providing occasional humor. But the unrealistic journey heightens the void with little substance to add onto the dynamical charisma. (B-) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/15/23 Full Review Chris M She said she had to quit school at 15. But you can't quit school legally before you turn 16 years old, not 15. Plus, I doubt social services would just except a phone call or letter saying she lives with her mother. They require proof, also to make sure the mother is fit to raise a teenager. They would just hear Miranda say, "I live with my mom." And reply, "Ok". Next, Spanish treasure in the Inland Empire. 60 miles from the Ocean. There is no way any one hiding treasure would be taking it that far inland. That's why it's called the INLAND Empire. Also, as developed the Inland Empire is, I'm sure any treasure would have been found. But that was the point, her dad was in a terrible asylum as he's just crazy. IMDb calls it a comedy drama, but I found no comedy or laughs. If we were too suppose to life at the crazy person digging up the Inland Empire, that's tasteless and cruel to the mentally challenged and not fit for a movie in the 21st century. The movie also has 3 major product placements but a budget of only 3 million. Did they get the entire budget from just these 3 companies? It's not funny, it's not interesting, it's just a snooze. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 04/19/23 Full Review Shioka O Odd, off-beaten comedy. There are occasional laughs, and harmless. Michael Douglas plays an wired middle-aged man, he is a gem. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/22/22 Full Review zanna v I had seen this movie when it originally came out and and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recently watched it again and realized I had to give it a review! If you haven't seen this, you should.. it is such a great story. I love the relationship between father and daughter (Michael Douglas as Charlie and Evan Rachel Wood as Miranda) -- very troubled, but still so very tender. Director Mike Cahill does a great job of bringing out the complexity of their relationship with humor and sweetness.. Still, this is an adventure! A treasure hunt! The expedition that Charlie and Miranda embark upon takes place -- not in deep jungles or foreign lands -- but instead in the middle of the everyday backdrop of our day to day lives. This is a hunt for both treasure and family connection, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review kate t It's not too bad until the ending which is. Michael Douglas has always been an excellent actor and a pleasure to watch but this role wasn't the best fit for him. There's some light humor which makes it watchable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews
King of California

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Charlie (Michael Douglas) gets released from an insane asylum and moves in with Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood), the young daughter he left behind. Charlie believes that there is treasure hidden beneath the local Costco, so he puts together a plan to unearth the loot. By convincing Miranda to quit her job at McDonald's and instead work at the wholesale store, he is able to obtain a key. Although Miranda is skeptical, she helps her father with his irrational quest.
Director
M. Cahill
Producer
Randall Emmett, George Furla, Avi Lerner, Michael London, Alexander Payne
Screenwriter
M. Cahill, M. Cahill
Production Co
Emmett/Furla Films, Millennium Films, Michael London Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Mature Thematic Elements|Brief Drug References|Some Strong Language)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$263.7K
Runtime
1h 33m
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