Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Charlie gets released from an insane asylum and moves in with Miranda, 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.
King of California is a quiet, quirky indie drama elevated primarily by Michael Douglas's committed, charismatic performance as the eccentric Charlie — eccentric enough to earn a genuine 4 for acting. The plot is engaging and heartfelt but somewhat slight, blending familiar father-daughter bonding and treasure-hunt tropes without fully transcending them. Cinematography is competent indie work, functional and occasionally evocative but not visually distinctive. Novelty is modest — the film has a specific, oddball tone but doesn't feel especially singular in the crowded indie dramedy landscape of the mid-2000s. The ending is bittersweet and earned, though not especially surprising or resonant beyond what the premise implies.