King of California (PG-13, 2007)

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.

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.

Studio: First Look Pictures
Director: Mike Cahill
Cast: Evan Rachel Wood, Michael Douglas, Willis Burks II
Genre: Drama
Run time: 93 minutes
Theatrical release: September 27, 2007
DVD release: January 29, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: some strong language, mature thematic elements and brief drug references.