Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, and Trin Miller
Distributor: Entertainment One Films
Runtime: 119 mins. Reviewed in Sep 2016
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This American drama tells the story of a family who lived in isolation in rural Northwest America for a decade, and then return to Society after being forced to do so by the death of a loved one.
Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) is the father of six children, aged 7-18, and he is a free-spirited, caring, honest, but tough parent. He is left solely in charge when his wife, Leslie (Trin Miller), is hospitalised with mental illness, and takes her own life. He and his wife, lived in the mountains of Washington State, USA, and were both firm believers in how to survive independently of others, and to think critically for themselves. The death of his wife becomes the catalyst for change.
Ben handles his children in a highly idiosyncratic and controlling way. Respectful of their intellect, and curious about it, he treats them militarily. They hunt for their food, argue philosophically about Capitalism and Marxism, then go off to sleep at night in a huge tent. They celebrate Noam Chomsky’s birthday with Christmas zeal, and they listen to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
When Ben receives word that his wife has died, he announces the news abruptly to his children, and under pressure from them he drives back to civilisation in his renovated school bus. On the way back, he stays with his sister’s family – Harper (Kathryn Hahn) his sister, Dave her husband (Steve Zahn), and their two children.The interactions among them illustrate immense social conflict, which surfaces again when they reach Leslie’s father (Frank Langella), who is outraged at the way Ben has brought up his daughter’s children. Facing his wife’s burial, Ben is forced to reevaluate his ideas about how his children should be reared, and educated. Idealistic and strong minded, he has raised his children with love, but also with domination. He has dedicated himself to doing the best he thinks he ought to do for them, but when tragedy strikes, he and his family face the consequences of a decade of unorthodox parenting.
The movie is edited and scripted tightly, except at the end when issues are resolved too loosely, but the force and pace of its direction are strong. The film examines thoughtfully the hypocrisy of Society in exposing children to violence and sex; it is critical of organised religions that instil fear; it looks honestly at the impact of family mental illness; and it explores some of the pitfalls of America’s education system. Threading through all these issues is the theme of the rights of a closely-bonded family to choose how they want to live, especially given the tensions and difficulties that Society creates for them. Ben’s children frequently respond defiantly, inappropriately, or incongruously, to social contact with others – raising the question of who is at fault. Is Ben “dangerous”? Is Society responsible? Or is Ben “saving their lives”?
This is a complex film about a very unusual person, who decides to raise his family in a very unusual way. All members of Ben’s family are struggling to cope, and the film comically shows the shocks that await them, when they start interacting with the world outside. Viggo Mortensen is outstanding as “Captain Fantastic”. He combines strength with honesty and decency, and walks a fine line between radical action and compassionate caring. This is a movie that shines with Mortensen’s bravura performance. His acting beautifully captures his change to a softer person.
The movie has comic sparkle, but at other times its tone is dark. It tugs originally at our emotions, and it asks us to think reflectively about the nature of family life. Ben’s behaviour is eccentric, over-controlling, and misguided, but Mortensen acts with total authenticity in a way that engenders revealing insights about child-rearing. The film pushes us entertainingly and provocatively to think much more about how to preserve aspects of good parenting that are important, and which matter.
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