Captain Fantastic
The highly educated and progressive survivalist Ben (Viggo Mortensen) finds challenge in raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and mental routine after the loss of his wife (Trin Miller). Determined to see that his wife’s last will and testament is upheld Ben hauls his family out of the NorthWest forrest called home and heads to New Mexico to confront his Father in law (Frank Langella). Learning to become socialized humans will be a challenge for all on this mission, but most challenging for who?
Written and Directed by Matt Ross, this rich and in-depth look into the hearts and minds of fully rounded characters serves as a coming of age tale for all. Told with compelling turns and twists the ensemble shines and Mortensen truly provides a fantastic performance as the captain of this oddly formed family unit, meanwhile, rough edges and unrounded corners on some levels of the production make for an organic and sometimes rustic experience for the viewer, just the right tone. Albeit, a little long in the final act, the film is still a winner of the Golden Space Needle Award at this year’s SIFF for a reason, Captain Fantastic totally deserves your attention and is rated R.