Captain Fantastic

Dir: Matt Ross

2016

****

Matt Ross's 2012 feature debut 28 Hotel Rooms was panned by critics as being neither dramatically nor intellectually stimulating when it really had to be, given that it was an intimate film about a relationship that would primarily focus on characters rather than plot and set in confines of a hotel room. Four years later he has made one of the year’s best dramas, a warm feel good film with strong performances and depth of character. Matt Ross is an actor, an actor’s actor if you will. He knows what makes a good performance, how to capture it, how to mould it and when to let it grow by itself. 28 Hotel Rooms wasn't that bad at all, the performances were very strong and everything wrong with it has clearly been a lesson learned for Ross. However, the jump from 28 Hotel Rooms to Captain Fantastic is huge, a room with two actors to a forest with a dozen - most of them first time child actors - is a massive achievement. Viggo Mortensen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance (and he probably should have won) and it is true to some respect that he carries the film on his shoulders, but the talent of the six child actors who play his kids is outstanding. The level of performance is so finely polished, it absorbs the viewer instantly and the whole story became completely believable, even though much of it is over the top and a little outrageous. Mortensen plays Ben Cash, who along with his wife Leslie and their six children live in the Washington wilderness. Ben and Leslie are disillusioned with capitalism and American life, and chose to instil survivalist skills, left wing politics, and philosophy in their children, educating them to think critically, training them to be self-reliant, physically fit and athletic, guiding them without technology, demonstrating the beauty of coexisting with nature and celebrating "Noam Chomsky Day" instead of Christmas. Leslie however suffers from crippling bipolar and has been hospitalized for some time. When the family learn that she has taken her own life while in care, their world is shattered. As they make their way to their mother's funeral, the siblings and their father begin to have conflicting opinions as to what they as a family and as individuals, should do next. Their return to civilization brings more unrest to their other family members and eventually the issue of their mother's funeral wishes pushes them all to the extreme. It's devastating one minute and hilarious the next, the comedy comes from reality however, nothing is construed or contrived, it's generally funny because it’s true. There were moments I was unsure of, one scene in particular where the family stay with Ben's sister, husband and two sons seemed a little forced as his sister and brother in law (played by Kathryn Hahn and Steve Zahn) argued over the benefits of a normal life. It seemed a little too one sided, even though I quite liked Ben's philosophy and agreed with it. However, there was an arrogance on one side and an ignorance on the other, which pretty much sums up society, particularly in this day and age. The ending is classic indie-schmaltz but it works, the message gets through and it is tender and true. It could have been horrible, if Hollywood had got its hand on it (and if had been made in the early 90s) it would have been an anti-Marxist Addams Family Values style remake (not that there is anything wrong with Addams Family Values you understand) and it would have bombed and angered the few that would have bothered with it. There are many elements that make Captain Fantastic a contender for feel good film of the year; it captures the essence of family without the clichés, it explores the happiness that comes from understanding, communication and positivity and the strength you get from self-analysis. Those things make me happy anyway but then I have high blood pressure, anxiety issues and a pain in the bum family. To be honest the film had me at the idea of having an annual "Noam Chomsky Day".