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MiraJeff Kneels Before KING OF CALIFORNIA!
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
I’m not sure I’d want to be on my knees in front of recovering sex addict Michael Douglas, but MiraJeff suggested that headline himself.
I’ve missed several screenings for this one, but I’m certainly curious about it. Let’s see what MiraJeff has to say about it:
Greetings AICN, MiraJeff here with a look at King of California, writer-director Mike Cahill's charming, whimsical indie comedy starring Evan Rachel Wood and Michael Douglas as her crazy Daddy.
Douglas plays Charlie, a wacky bass player who has recently been released from a two-year stint in a mental hospital. His 16 year-old daughter, Miranda, has been forced to drop out of school to support herself by working at a local McDonald's. When the two are reunited, Charlie embraces his inner explorer and convinces his daughter to join him on a treasure hunt to find 17th century Spanish gold. Their journey leads them on an adventure to a local Costco where X supposedly marks the spot. As unstable as Charlie is, the strength of his convictions makes Miranda (and us) believe that unimaginable riches lie waiting for someone just crazy enough to dig them up. With its dysfunctional family hijinx front and center, King of California feels like Little Miss Sunshine as directed by Wes Anderson, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Despite its optimistic ukulele-driven score and frequent dry laughs, there's an underlying sadness permeating King of California that works well in contrast to the rest of the film's madcap antics. For instance, it’s mildly amusing when Charlie tries to kill himself early in the film because it’s obvious he won’t succeed, but the scene elicits an uncomfortable sort of laughter that hints at the serious mental issues the character suffers from. Cahill’s script proudly wears its heart on its sleeve and the climax functions nicely as both a caper comedy and an emotionally satisfying drama. Cahill makes his directorial debut with the project and he’s certainly a talented director to keep your eye on. I’ve also gotta give him credit for showcasing a side of California that is rarely seen these days. Most films about California are set against the backdrop of Hollywood but rather than focus on the state’s glitzy and glamorous zip codes, it chooses to instead redefine the state as a Western frontier of limitless possibility.
Watching this film, I was surprised by just how easily I had forgotten about how good an actor Douglas is. Perhaps because since 2001, he's appeared in One Night at McCool's, Don't Say a Word, It Runs in the Family, The In-Laws, The Sentinel and You, Me and Dupree. Not exactly great career moves if you ask me. Plus, the only kind of press I read about the guy lately focuses on his marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones. But if King of California is any indication, it's clear Douglas is still the same top-notch actor who made Wall Street's Gordon Gekko an 80s icon and helped birth the sexual-thriller genre with the trifecta of Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct and Disclosure, not to mention the excellent performances he gave in Falling Down, The American President, The Game, Wonder Boys and Traffic. Hard to believe it's been seven years since Douglas last appeared in a movie that was worth your time, but thankfully, King of California announces Douglas' triumphant return to relevance. He's the perfect actor to play wild-eyed, bushy-bearded Charlie, a character that begs for an actor to fully commit and sink his teeth into the role. Douglas revels in Charlie’s eccentricities and embraces the quirkiness of the character through his good times and bad. Douglas shines in the role and his smile seems to grow wider when he knows he’s embarrassing his daughter, protected by the knowledge that they’re all the other one has. Actually, that’s not entirely true. As gentle giant Pepper, Charlie’s best friend, Willis Burks II nearly walks off with the movie. He and Douglas’ chemistry is excellent and though Burks doesn’t get much screentime, he’s magic whenever he’s onscreen.
As for Wood, I'm a pretty big fan of hers, even though she plays a variation of the same character in all her films. Though she first came to my attention in Thirteen, she has continued to impress me with her turns in Pretty Persuasion, The Upside of Anger and Down in the Valley. Variety’s John Anderson made it a point to single out Wood's "dour" performance here as the only thing holding King of California back, but I'd argue that it's not so much her performance that "flatlines" as much as its the sometimes crippling voice-over narration she's saddled with, which is often too on-the-nose to be completely believable. It functions as a distraction that takes us out of the narrative to deliver unnecessary exposition that fleshes out her tumultuous relationship with her father. It doesn't help that the 20 year-old actress is still stuck playing 16 year-olds, and although it's a minor issue, her precociousness seems implausible for a high school dropout, even one as resourceful and responsible as Miranda, who has done a damn good job of taking care of herself in her father’s absence, having lied to social services to avoid being taken in by the state, or worse, a foster family. I hope to catch Wood (that doesn’t sound good) in Julie Taymor's Across the Universe this weekend, and if Lewis Carroll's Phantasmagoria ever materializes, I think she'd make the perfect Alice, especially now that she's become Marilyn Manson's plaything.
The competition at the box office is pretty brutal this week with a lot of excellent films opening in limited release but if you’re looking for lighter fare then you cannot go wrong with a heartfelt, humorous crowd-pleaser like King of California. It’ll leave you feeling as sunny as the state Charlie calls home.
That’ll do it for me, folks. I’ll be back with reviews of Into the Wild, The Last Winter, Reservation Road and The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford. ‘Til next time, this is MiraJeff signing off and wishing my brethren a Happy New Year…
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That was his best preformance. Wall Street is close, but you could argue that he was too over the top. I wouldn't, but I could understand that perspective.
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Can kick first in the marbles
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the pink bathrobe in wonder boys said it all. i don't even know why he did all those other shite movies lately, especially when he's all about 'i just like to hang out in bermuda in my mansion with my kids.' he could pick and choose, he's still quite powerful, and he's so good at those bumbling, lunatic roles.
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has this been on the shelf?? Methinks Douglas should play house husband, sit on the millions he's made, and let his wife out from time to time to pretty up the movie screens. Oh and best Michael Douglas "hair" role has got to be Black Rain.
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...but there's something about Mirajeff and the way he writes that just makes my fucking teeth itch in annoyance. It's like nails on a blackboard.
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Bit I should trash MiraJeff's review, and MiraJeff has a person, because that's really cool to do and it's what all the really cool TBers are doing.
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Damn.
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Itchy teeth huh? I get those too... when I'm trippin' like you, foo.
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hot and silly in romancing the stone, shaking his stuff for Mrs Turner in that open collar all white outfit with the black tied up belt, it was awesome and ridiculous at once which was something the 80's could always get right.
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who???
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Relax bro, I was just kidding around and poking fun of my 'rep' as someone who can't take the slightest criticsm. Have you seen the Uwe Boll fight? It doesn't get more embarassing than that, my friend.
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'nuff said.
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doesn't quite have the same punch as Little Miss Sunshine. Still, check out Evan Rachel Wood's performance in Marilyn Manson's Heart Shaped Glasses video sometime, and then ask yourself,"What's the deal with that?"
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...dear.
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And I actually mean she's a good actress.
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