Review of Captain Fantastic (2016) by Patrick L — 29 Jan 2017

"Captain Fantastic may seem like a title for a comic book superhero but it's actually an eccentricly-funny and emotionally-lifting film.".

Movie Review: Captain Fantastic.

Date Viewed: August 11 2016.

Written and Directed By Matt Ross (28 Hotel Rooms).

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Steve Zahn, Kathryn Hahn, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso, Nicholas Hamilton, Shree Crooks, Trin Miller, Charlie Shotwell, Elijah Stevenson, Teddy Van Ee, Erin Moriarty, Missi Pyle and Ann Dowd.

"Captain Fantastic" may seem like a title for comic book superhero but it's actually an eccentricly-funny and emotionally-lifting film. It's about a devoted father and his six kids who live off the grid in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Viggo Mortensen who is known by moviegoers as Aragorn from the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy gives one of his best performances as who not only angrily defends his beliefs and nature-esque lifestyle, he also loves his kids and wants them to prepare for the outside world.

It's another road trip movie that takes usual routes but the acting is terrific all around and it is a great indie from Matt Ross who's a notable star on TV's "Silicon Valley" and "Big Love". Ben Cash (Mortensen) has been living off the grid for most of his life, he's a bearded, nature-loving man in his 50's and he's the father of six children, Bodevan (George MacKay), Kielyr (Samantha Isler), Vespyr (Annalise Basso), Rellian (Nicholas Hamilton), Zaja (Shree Crooks) and Nai (Charlie Shotwell).

Ben's wife, Leslie (Trin Miller) is at the moment hospitalized for bipolar disorder and her father, Jack (Frank Langella) wants nothing to do with him. Soon, Ben receives the sad news that his wife just committed suicide. Jack orders Ben not to go to the funeral, if he does attend he will have the police take him away. Despite Jack's threat, Ben's kids want to go to New Mexico where the ceremony will be held. Ben refuses to go at first saying it is too risky but he has a change of heart and decides to takes his kids on a road trip to New Mexico.

For about ten years, Ben hasn't seen much of the outside world, he has pretty much stayed with nature and he does a lot of exercising. Ben and his kids do a lot of push-ups, running and even climbing. Some of Ben's kids are socially awkward but they are also bright, sweet and kind. After visiting with relatives (Kathryn Hahn and Steve Zahn), it is off to the funeral where Jack becomes dismayed by Ben's appearance. Ben and Jack have a major disagreement over what to do with Leslie's body. Jack wants to leave her dead daughter in the casket but Ben wants to do what Leslie wrote in her will, let her be cremated and have her ashes be flushed down a toilet. It's an unusual way to send somebody's ashes away but at least Ben is being respectful to her final wishes.

Jack also believes that Ben is not raising his children right and he thinks that the kids will be better off with him and his wife, Abigail (Ann Dowd). Ben still defends his nature-living ways but he has to make a difficult decision, leave his kids with their grandparents who have a lavish and very different lifestyle or let them stay with him. Two of Ben's kids want to take different routes, the eldest son, Bodevan is thinking about going to college while Ben's other son, Nicholas wants to live with his father-in-law because he's tired of his father's beliefs and lifestyle.

"Captain Fantastic" has a family story with a lot of insight and truth in it and Mortensen is so good in this movie, he should really be given Oscar-consideration. His scenes with Frank Langella are so raw and engrossing and I didn't forget about the kids, the young actors give absorbing performances here as Ben's children. Unveiled at this year's Sundance Film Festival, "Captain Fantastic" could've been an average sentimental road trip movie but writer and director Matt Ross has made a family drama that's something more. Ross flipped the road trip movie around and has instead crafted a fascinating character study about an isolated guy who lives in a nature-esque, off the grid environment with his six kids.

"Captain Fantastic" is not something fantastic, it is something special and you should see it for yourself.