Themes: Treasure Hunts, Fathers and Daughters, Obsessive Quests
Main Cast: Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood, Willis Burks II, Laura Kachergus, Paul Lieber, Kathleen Wilhoite
Release Year: 2007
Country: US
Run Time: 93 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Michael Douglas stars as a treasure-hunting eccentric in this Alexander Payne-produced comedy from director Michael Cahill. Recently released from a mental institution and reunited with his teenage daughter, Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood), Charlie (Douglas) decides there's century's old gold buried near their lower-middle-class neighborhood, and sets out on an obsessive quest to find it. Along the way, the estranged parent and child rekindle a long-lost bond with each other. Featuring a score by David Robbins, King of California screened at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Anne Nathan - Applebee's Manager; Arthur Santiago - McDonald's Manager; Ashley Greene - McDonald's Customer; Ian Hopps - Boy; Anna Khaja - Officer Contreras; Will Rothhaar - Security Guard; Annie O'Donnell - Greeter; Greg Davis, Jr. - Joseph; Jeanie Hackett - Teacher; Mousa Kraish - Bruce; Max Grodenchik - Leonid; Gerald Emerick - Sheriff's Deputy; David O'Donnell - Firefighter; Chic Daniel - Older Cop; Angel Oquendo - Younger Cop; Jason Auer - Costco Employee; Ho-Kwan Tse - Chinese Man; Allisyn Ashley Arm - Miranda Age 9; Gary Paul - Cop at Excavation
Credit
David Morong - Art Director, Tracy Prescott - Art Director, Wendy Fuller - Animator, Khristina Kravas - Associate Producer, Todd Gilbert - Associate Producer, Blair Scheller - Boom Operator, Joanna Colbert - Casting, David Robbins - Conductor, George Parra - Co-producer, Michael Dennison - Costume Designer, Ellen Mirojnick - Costume Designer, Tricia Yoo - Costume Designer, Richard L. Fox - First Assistant Director, Mike Cahill - Director, Michael McDonnell - Second Unit Director, Tracey Boyd - Second Unit Director, Glenn Garland - Editor, Boaz Davidson - Executive Producer, John Thompson - Executive Producer, Danny Dimbort - Executive Producer, Trevor Short - Executive Producer, George Furla - Executive Producer, Elisa Salinas - Executive Producer, Vance J. Owen - Executive Producer, Jan Johnson - Executive Producer, Marc J. Ventimiglia - Location Manager, David Robbins - Composer (Music Score), David Robbins - Musical Direction/Supervision, Patty Androff - Makeup, Janeen Schreyer - Makeup, Amy Lederman - Makeup, Josh Medak - Camera Operator, Taj Teffaha - Camera Operator, Dan Bishop - Production Designer, Jim Whitaker - Cinematographer, John Nolan - Cinematographer, Avi Lerner - Producer, Michael London - Producer, Alexander Payne - Producer, Randall Emmett - Producer, Nicholas Childs - Producer, Bill Matthews - Set Designer, Clair Martin Cahill - Set Designer, Wilshire Stages - Sound Mixer, Lee Orloff - Sound/Sound Designer, Fred Stahly - Sound Editor, Richard Dwan - Sound Editor, Randolph Le Roi - Stunts, Stacey Carino - Stunts, Jermaine T. Holt - Stunts, Mark Donaldson - Stunts, Gary Wayton - Stunts Coordinator, Patty Long - Unit Production Manager, Mike Cahill - Screenwriter, Josh Medak - Second Unit Director Of Photography, Sarah Eichenlaub - Production Assistant, Leigh Jones - Production Assistant, Stanislav Dragiev - Visual Effects Supervisor, David Altenau - Visual Effects Supervisor, Guin Dill - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Pays for Effect - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Laura Howell - Publicist, Lynda Dorf - Publicist, John Stradling - First Assistant Camera, Jamie Felz - First Assistant Camera, John T. Conner - First Assistant Camera, Bruce Olinder - Gaffer, Pat Whelan - Grip, Frank Gabusi - Grip, Christian Staab - Grip, Bill Petty - Grip, Liz Bolden - Grip, Blaise Cinningham - Grip, Andrea Miraglia - Grip, Bobby Haas - Grip, Kurt Grossi - Key Grip, Chris McNellis - Key Grip, John Clevenger - Key Grip, Micha Liberman - Music Editor, Steven Saltzman - Music Editor, Candice Levy - Post Production Coordinator, Todd Gilbert - Post Production Supervisor, Franses Simonovich - Production Coordinator, Lindsay Dwyer - Production Coordinator, Jamie Ramirez - Production Coordinator, Dennis Little - Production Coordinator, Sarah Priestnall - Production Supervisor, John Warner - Properties, Ritchie Kremer - Properties Master, Patrick Cyccone Jr. - Re-Recording Mixer, J. Stanley Johnston - Re-Recording Mixer, Rebecca Robertson-Szwaja - Script Supervisor, Heather Grierson - Second Assistant Director, J.C. Machit - Special Effects Assistant, Doyle Smiley - Special Effects Assistant, Ron Trost - Special Effects Coordinator, Taj Teffaha - Steadicam Operator, Dale Robinette - Still Photographer, Tracy Bennett - Still Photographer, Perry Robertson - Supervising Sound Editor, Scott Coulter - Visual Effects Producer, Eric Thompson - ADR Mixer, Paul Drenning - ADR Mixer, Stacey Michaels - ADR Mixer, Travis Mackay - ADR Recordist, Tada Chae - Assistant Location Manager, Alfonso Ruiz - Assistant Location Manager, Jason M. Brown - Assistant Production Coordinator, Brian Seccombe - Assistant Properties, Scott Fieldsteel - Best Boy Electric, Jennifer Lai - Camera Loader, Jocelyn E. Thomas - Casting Assistant, Christina Mullin - Casting Assistant, Richard Mento - Casting Associate, Christopher M. Ridino - Construction Coordinator, Robin Borman-Wizan - Costumes Supervisor, Dwight LaVers - Dolly Grip, Mike Curtis - Electrician, Renee Kayon - Electrician, Martin Reder - Electrician, Danny Enneking - Electrician, Jeffrey Olan - Extra Casting, Scott Herrick - First Assistant Accountant, Joel T. Pashby - First Assistant Editor, Douglas Reed - Foley Artist, Rick Owens - Foley Artist, Andrew Nowling - Greensman, Vickie Mynes - Key Hairstylist, Keith Sayer - Key Make-up, Charles Nixon - Leadman, Rasool J'Han - Personal Assistant, Eric Battin - Personal Assistant, Tsila Adler - Post Production Accountant, Julie Weisel - Post Production Accountant, Danny Rueben - Post Production Assistant, Maureen Bharoocha - Post Production Assistant, Barbara Long - Production Accountant, Trish Vengoechea - Production Accountant, Arielle Mermin - Production Accountant, M. Dal Walton III - Production Executive, Matthew Kennedy - Second Assistant Camera, Ryan Rayner - Second Assistant Camera, Rudy Van Zyl - Second Second Assistant Director, Kenneth A. Heil - Set Dresser, John Randy Brewer - Set Dresser, Chuck Morganti - Set Dresser, Tonya Brewer - Set Dresser, David Fulp - Storyboard Artist, Charlie Ramirez - Transportation Captain, Gary Edelman - Transportation Coordinator, Charlie Ramirez - Transportation Coordinator, Worldwide FX - Visual Effects, Dianna Freas - Set Decorator, David Waters - Senior Producer, Sandy Holt - ADR Voice Casting, Tony's Food Services - Craft Service/Catering, Alison Hoberman - Craft Service/Catering, Gerardo Fernandez - Craft Service/Catering, Arnold Lopez - Craft Service/Catering, Miguel Perez - Craft Service/Catering, Ramon Galindo - Craft Service/Catering, Julio Godinez - Craft Service/Catering, Gregory Lopez - Craft Service/Catering, Miguel Mata - Craft Service/Catering, Karim Hamza - Driver, William Jakubecy - Driver, Jay Vigil - Driver, Mike Phillips - Driver, Bud Lacy - Driver, Walt McLain - Driver, Bill McLaren - Driver, Pablo Gonzales - Driver, Luigi Mugavero - Driver, Bruce Hathaway - Driver, Nacho Ramirez - Driver, Ralph Blunt - Driver, Frank Valentino - Driver, Wayne Spohn - Driver, Justin McLain - Driver, Glenn Verna - Driver, Cecil McLain - Driver, Mike Reynolds - Driver, Morris Bension - Driver, Michael Kreple - Foley Mixer, Kyle Billingsley - Foley Mixer, Nick Neutra - Foley Supervisor, Tony Whitmore - Set Medic/First Aid, Ahmed Saker - Set Medic/First Aid, John Bocchicchio - Set Medic/First Aid, Charlie "Cap" Cresap - Set Medic/First Aid, Barney Cabral - Supervising ADR Editor, Jordan Markov - Visual Effects Editor, David Fulp - Character Design, Marissa Zajack - Art Department Coordinator, Michael Bowers - Assistant Music Editor, Jennifer Bell - Department Head Makeup, Kevin A. Zimmerman - First Assistant Sound Editor, Bill Thompson - Properties Maker Gang Boss, Tracey Boyd - Post Production Manager, Tracey Boyd - Assistant to the Director, Juliana E. Farrell - Producer's Assistant, Rosie Charbonneau - Producer's Assistant, Nick Reimond - Producer's Assistant, Ben Nedivi - Producer's Assistant, Rob Van Norden - Producer's Assistant, Alexandre Coscas - Producer's Assistant, Elizabeth Grave - Producer's Assistant, Dan Murray - Producer's Assistant, Dina Oxenburg - Producer's Assistant, Alexander Valev - Compositor, Velichko Ivanov - Compositor, Denitsa Dimitrova - Compositor, Rosen Ivanov - Compositor, Dian Mitov - Compositor, Delyan Ketipov - Compositor, Adriana Valcheva - Compositor, Iva Gorcheva - Compositor, Svetoslav Galabov - Compositor, Stanislov Petkov - Compositor
At the age of 16, Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood) has been abandoned by her mother, and has dropped out of school. She is supporting herself as an employee at McDonalds while her father, Charlie (Michael Douglas), resides in a mental institution.
When Charlie is released and sent back to their home, Miranda finds the relatively peaceful existence she's built for herself completely disrupted. Charlie has become obsessed with the notion that the long-lost treasure of Spanish explorer Father Juan Florismarte Torres is buried somewhere near their suburbanCalifornia house. Armed with a metal detector and a stack of treasure-hunting books, Charlie soon finds reason to believe that the gold resides underneath the local Costco, and encourages Miranda to get a job there so that they can plan a way to excavate after hours.
Initially skeptical, Miranda soon finds herself joining in Charlie's questionable antics in an effort to give him one last shot at accomplishing his dreams.
After becoming involved with some swingers, Miranda then helps Charlie break into the Costco. Once inside the Costco they drill through the floor and then into an underground river. Charlie steals some scuba diving equipment, dives into the river, and then finds the gold. He retrieves much of it but tragically does not return from his last dive, where he pursues further and finds the missing explorer. Charlie left Miranda a tag and told her not to lose it. The next day, she visits Costco and finds the product the tag belongs to, a dishwasher. Miranda buys the dishwasher, takes it to the beach, and opens it to find the gold Charlie hid there.
As of January 6, 2008 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 64 percent of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 58 reviews.[2] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 63 out of 100, based on 22 reviews.[3]
DVD Release
King of California was released on DVD in the U.K. in early June 2008.
