Captain Fantastic follows Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen), a far left survivalist who lives half off the grid, half off with his six children in the woods of Washington state. Ben raises and feeds his kids himself, educating them to think critically and as fully formed adults, training them to be physically fit and athletic, and without technology. When Ben’s ill wife Leslie dies, he and the kids veer off into the outside world for the first sustained amount of time.
Despite their upbringing, throughout the film, Ben’s kids show signs of wanting to venture out into the mainstream world. Bo (George MacKay) has secretly applied, and been accepted, to the country’s top universities and is drawn to every teenaged girl he encounters. Rellian (Nicholas Hamilton) often lashes out at his father’s rigidness and lifestyle, asking why they can’t interact with the world like a normal family. Bo’s inability to speak regularly with girls his ages showcases that while Ben has done well to make his children well read and fit and able to take care of themselves in extreme environments, there is something to be said about also having the ability to interact with other humans.
One of my favorite scenes is a dinner between the Cash family and their extended relatives. Here, we see the culture clash between Ben’s critical thinking, hold nothing back from children for of child-rearing and our more conventional, “not in front of the children” societal method. Ben’s kids are confused by their aunt and uncle’s willingness to lie and hide their mother’s condition and death from their teenaged kids, and the fact that they do not kill their own food, while the teenagers and confused by their cousins not knowing what Nike and Adidas are. The dichotomy is fascinating to watch and made me think about my thoughts on child rearing and what I would be willing to share with and teach my children versus what is seen as acceptable.
The performances in the movie are fantastic (no pun intended), starting with Mortensen in the lead role. He does well portraying a father with myriad alternative views, trying to make the best for his family. Every child actor performs well here, led by MacKay and Hamilton.
Images: Universal Pictures
