Captain Fantastic is a feel-good indie about family that doesn't get lost in mawkishness.

Separated from society, the hippie parents have brought their kids up on a healthy diet of literature, philosophy, music and survival skills, making them uniquely prepared for the wilderness and more articulate than their peers.
However, Leslie suffers from bipolar disorder and doesn't return from an extended stay in hospital. It's a devastating loss for the sprawling family - particularly because their stern grandfather (Frank Langella) forbids Ben from travelling into town to attend her funeral.
Torn between staying in their woodland refuge or braving the trip south and risking losing his kids to the authorities, Ben begins to realise that maybe he's deprived his kids of the one thing every kid needs - a childhood. Ben's eldest Bodevan (George Mackay) wants to enrol at an Ivy League college, but is sorely lacking in social skills and a working knowledge of the outside world. His middle son Rellian (Nicholas Hamilton) resents his lack of peers and friends, as well as home comforts like video games. So whilst Ben and Leslie thought what they were doing was for the best, they might've hamstrung their offspring more than they had hoped...

Mortensen makes it what it is though; his brilliant central performance takes the film to the next level. He really leaves it all on the table, stripping down to both a physical and emotional vulnerability that highlights both the challenges of fatherhood as well as the responsibilities of parentage and raising children.
The kids are all good enough, in their own way. Mackay is impressive as the eldest son Bodevan, but the movie really belongs to Mortensen.
Captain Fantastic takes a little while to get going, with the second act feeling particularly sluggish at times. Things find a new gear once the gang arrive at the home of Leslie's father and we get to see the tension between Mortensen and Langella play out face-to-face. The third act is definitely the strongest and, best of all, it ties together with one of the best renditions of Sweet Child O Mine in a soaring, uplifting finale.
The Verdict: 7/10
Captain Fantastic is in cinemas across Australia now
Great review! I'm looking forward to this. I'm a bit bummed I missed it in theaters.
ReplyDeleteThanks Brittani :)
DeleteCan't wait to see this! I absolutely love Little Miss Sunshine and this definitely has that vibe to it.
ReplyDelete- Allie
It's the whole weird family roadtrip thing isn't it? ;)
DeleteDefinitely one of my favorite films of the year, right here! It actually took me a little while to digest and realize how much I enjoyed it, so I'd be interested to know your opinion in a few weeks.
ReplyDelete