King of California 2007

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: The product placement is so egregious that it actually nurtures Cahill's theme of treasure lurking just beyond the crapola of American life. Unfortunately, that's also the theme of The Price Is Right. Read more

Ted Fry, Seattle Times: This is a strong effort by first time writer/director Mike Cahill that will keep you bemused for its idiosyncratic voice. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: Though their crazy-parent/sensible-child dynamic seems a little warmed-over, their whimsical mission, slight though it is, gives the film an oddly compelling sense of purpose. With Douglas leading the charge, anything's possible. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: A flaky, tedious, intermittently likable fable about being crazy in a crazy world. Read more

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times: [A] strange, funny and sad story. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: Writer-director Mike Cahill explores Charlie's foolishness with funny-sad fondness. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: Rambunctious and rousing from beginning to end, the hugely entertaining King of California offers Michael Douglas his best role since Traffic. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: In this surprisingly fresh handling of indie quirk, an unstable, jazz-musician father (Michael Douglas) enlists his long-suffering,teenage daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) in a search for Spanish gold buried under a banal Costco. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: Intermittedly entertaining if mostly contrived. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: Good things happen when Michael Douglas exposes his edges to the elements and smudges his screen persona with thick dollops of shadow. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: As a writer, Cahill is more interested in character and storytelling, and his film unfolds in clean, uncomplicated takes. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: This is mighty tricky territory, and Cahill deserves major credit for keeping the story from becoming mawkish or twee. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: This weak script would not have been filmed if it hadn't been for Douglas' weakness for acting as nutty as a Snickers bar. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: The treasure of the film is the unearthing of the family bond, magically played by Douglas and Wood. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Unfortunately, first-time director Mike Cahill spends an inordinate amount of time dealing with the nuances of the hunt and caper and, even with his attempts to add in a dash of comedy, he can't redeem this aspect of the project. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The film, in its own off-center way, is worth seeing, if only because of the zealotry of the Douglas performance and the pluck of Evan Rachel Wood. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: ...Cahill wins me over with this poignant depiction of a tender father-daughter relationship. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: While the project certainly has its clever aspects, the bulk of the credit goes to Douglas. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: King of California means to be the jewel in the crown of indie-flick quirkiness, but it's really just a bauble with ambition. Read more

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. Read more

Mark Holcomb, Time Out: Read more

John Anderson, Variety: [Douglas] is a manic joy, and Wood manages to hang on for the ride. Read more

Robert Wilonsky, Village Voice: Hard to tell what's more annoying in this empty character study of eccentrics and the suckers who love them: the braying, blurting soundtrack or Douglas himself, who can't find his way into a man tortured by dull demons. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: There's so little authenticity between them, it destroys the story's most crucial element: the love between father and daughter. And finding the gold becomes our only reason to watch. Read more