The film is about Ben's journey with his children to go to her funeral, despite being prohibited by Leslie's father from attending. Anyway, Leslie kills herself and this is where the film really starts. Ben's father-in-law pays for her stay in the hospital. It didn't and Leslie is interned in this psychiatric facility in order to get the help she needs. Leslie, however, has been struggling with depression and Ben thought moving her and the children away from the hectic city life to a more secluded, nature-friendly place would help Leslie with her depression. Long story short, the film sees Ben and Leslie move their children away from civilization, where they're taught survivalist skills, philosophy and to be self-dependent. Not saying that they were misleading, but just that they didn't give you the sense of what the film is actually about. I watched the trailers and I honestly didn't really even know what to expect. Thankfully, however, this ended up being a really damn good movie in ways that I didn't really expect. There's always a chance that a movie you think you might enjoy would end up falling short of those expectations, but I digress. I mean, I didn't really know that this would be good. It's been about 9 days since I reviewed a movie that I thought was good (that'd be Catfight) and I just wanted to watch something that I knew would be good. Seriously though, I've been on a pretty rotten run of movies lately (one of which was one of the worst movies I've seen in months). I also love Frank Langella and Kathryn Hahn (though they're supporting characters). Unfortunately the script dips a bit in its final acts, letting Captain Fantastic off a little easily, but it’s already a philosophical triumph by that point, a good movie that’s actually about something.There's one reason, and one reason only, for why I wanted to watch this movie. Writer-director Matt Ross delivers some pretty satisfying emotional release, and a captivating twinning of joy and sorrow. The kid actors are mercifully good, and Mortensen is generous with them in their shared scenes. And by serious I mean I cried a small ocean’s worth of salty tears. This film is quite funny in parts, and quite serious in others. Should a parent’s decisions always be respected? Are anti-capitalist, anti- establishment values best addressed by dropping out of society? How much freedom is too much freedom for children? And what kind of risk is acceptable? And do children need to sometimes be shielded from difficult or painful concepts, or is complete honesty always the best policy? And the kids are growing resentful.Ĭaptain Fantastic raises a lot of interesting questions about parenting. They don’t know how to interact with the modern world, so unless all of them are prepared to continue subsistence living, and form an incestuous colony, it’s not really a sustainable lifestyle. In Captain Fantastic, the kids are book-smart but lacking in experience. They develop rich inner lives and lots of art, but are totally unaware of what real life entails. Without education or even identification, it’s tough for them to rejoin the ‘real world.’ In The Wolfpack, a bunch of kids are kept pent up in a New York apartment. He turns out some great athletes, but the kids are otherwise totally unprepared for real life. In Surf Wise, a doctor raises his kids on the beach, establishing a surf school. I’ve seen enough documentaries to know that raising a family off-grid, though idealistic, is not always so great for the kids. Viggo Mortensen is fantastic, although not always likeable. Her death is the catalyst for the family returning to civilization to attend her funeral. Mom, as it turns out, is off in a mental health facility, and has been away from the family for several months before they learn she’s committed suicide. Not all the parents are happy either, although so far I’ve only mentioned Captain Dad. It sounds heavenly or lonely, depending on your perspective. Each kid has a unique, made-up name so they’ll be the “one and only” in the world. They hunt and grow food, read meaty novels by campfire light, and train their bodies strenuously, sometimes dangerously. Captain Fantastic, the movie and the man, asks big questions, gives brutal answers, and leaves you with deep thoughts for analysis.Ĭaptain Fantastic, played with vigour by Viggo Mortensen, is a man raising 6 kids in the woods like a pack of wild coyotes.
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