King of California

It's been a long time since I've been willing to watch a movie with Michael Douglas in it - you know, like that whole period where he seemed to be working out his sexual fantasies onscreen, one by painful one (think Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, Disclosure.) But the dude has grown up a bit and the fact that he signed on to this sweet little film, I'll take as proof of that. This isn't a 'big money movie' and it has no semi-nekkid sexpots. What it is - a light little fairy tale about loving someone with a mental illness - has some very funny moments.

Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood) is sixteen and living on her own when her dad Charlie (Douglas) is released from a year long stint in a mental institution. The relatively peaceful life she's carved out for herself is suddenly disrupted - Charlie is not an easy person to be around. To make things worse, he has become convinced that there is ancient Spanish treasure in their neighborhood and is determined to find it. At first Miranda is dismayed at this new delusion, but gradually her love for her father drags her into his scheme. She really wants to believe him, but could there really be booty buried under Costco?

Douglas is really delightful as the manic Charlie, and Wood does a fair job of conveying the natural distrust and frustration inherent in sharing your life with a completely unpredictable and untrustworthy parent. And if the bittersweet ending blows a little sunshine up your butt, oh well, the rest of ride is pretty entertaining. See the website here.