King of California

  • Review Date: January 28, 2008
  • PG-13
  • Genre: Drama
  • 2007
Review

Common Sense Media says

Quirky dramedy mixes humor and mature themes.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this indie drama features mature themes about mental illness and parent-child relationships. The main character is a manic depressive who has just been released from a mental institution, and his 16-year-old daughter has quit school and works double shifts to support herself and her dad. There are a few curse words (including a couple of "f--k"s), a little smoking and drinking, one brief kiss, and a disturbing image of a suicide attempt.

  • Positive messages0
    While breaking and entering is an unconventional -- not to mention illegal -- form of bonding between fathers and daughters, the theme of the film is to love and trust your parents, no matter how crazy they might seem.
  • Violence3
    A disturbing flashback shows Charlie trying to hang himself on a chandelier.
  • Sex3
    Charlie flirts with a female police officer, who is later shown leaving his house early in the morning. He kisses her and smacks her on the rear end. Miranda attends a "swingers" party, but no swinging is shown.
  • Language3
    A couple of "f--k"s, plus "s--t" and "a--hole."
  • Consumerism3
    Costco is prominently featured, as is McDonald's; eBay and Volvo also appear.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Charlie and Pepper smoke cigarettes; Charlie drinks alcohol alone; Miranda is told she's drinking a "virgin" cocktail at a party, but she later feels dizzy and throws up.
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What's the story?

Charlie (Michael Douglas), a California jazz musician who's just been released from a mental institution and returned home to live with his teenage daughter, Miranda (the always-exceptional young actress Evan Rachel Wood). Ever since she was a little girl, Miranda has known how to take care of herself -- and her manic-depressive dad. Instead of attending high school, she works double shifts at McDonald's to pay the bills. But Charlie has more exciting plans for his new freedom than finding a job. He embarks -- shiny metal detector in hand -- on a mission to find the Spanish gold that he's certain a particular conquistador left buried nearby. It doesn't take long for Charlie to convince Miranda to join him on his exploits, which lead to a suburban Costco that's supposedly right on top of the gold.

Is it any good?

 

Michael Douglas, like many other actors who've reached his level of acclaim, can obviously be very choosy about the roles he accepts. Most A-list actors would probably prefer not to star in a directorial debut, but Douglas' unpredictable character in KING OF CALIFORNIA makes it clear why the Oscar winner would take a chance on newbie director Mike Cahill.

Douglas is charming and convincing as a mentally unstable man who loves his daughter. He and Wood mesh well on screen -- their characters' emotional needs and vulnerabilities are always on full display. Regardless of whether Charlie and Miranda uncover the long-lost treasure, their elaborate scheme to look for it is heartachingly tender to watch.

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This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
 
I think this movie funny, but not appropriate for kids over 13
Evan Rachel Wood and Michael Douglas do a great job in this film. It would be a great movie if they would have left out the (f) word. It only has it 1 or 2 times, but that is 1 or 2 times too many for me.
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Kid, 9 years old
June 30, 2011
AGE
13
 
iffy
good movie
Was this review useful?
Helped me decide (5) | Had useful details (4) | Read my mind (3)
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This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
Studio:First Look Pictures
Director:Mike Cahill
Cast:Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Douglas, Willis Burks II
Genre:Drama
Run time:93 minutes
Theatrical release date:September 27, 2007
DVD release date:January 29, 2008
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:some strong language, mature thematic elements and brief drug references.
This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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