Sydney Film Festival 2016 - Film Review - Captain Fantastic

Viggo Mortensen and the children in Captain Fantastic

Screenwriter and director, Matt Ross' Captain Fantastic is a funny, sometimes bitter sweet film focussed on the relationship between a father and his six children and the challenges they face when confronted by tragedy. The central role of the father, Ben Cash, is portrayed by the versatile, multilingual Viggo Mortensen and he delivers a commanding performance. The film has screened at both Sundance and Cannes (in the Un Certain Regard section) in 2016 and the film is due for release in July 2016 in the US.

The storyline for the film follows the efforts of idealistic father, Ben Cash to raise his children in a partial alternative lifestyle in a stretch of forest in Washington State, far from civilisation. They are taught Marxism, martial arts and encouraged to read and question. There is no Christmas Day but rather Noam Chomsky Day and self sufficiency is the mantra. The Mother, who appears only in flashbacks, has been hospitalised and passes away leaving both Ben and his children to confront the challenge of reintegration into wider society. As the children travel down to their Mother's funeral, their observations about what they see in society and their relatives has a number of priceless moments. There are many social issues raised in the film - the children, although home schooled in the wilderness by their parents, are vastly healthier, better informed and educated than their mainstream counterparts. Their state of health and fitness gains amazed comments from doctors when one of Ben's daughters is injured in a  fall. Ben's eldest son gains offers of admission to college from every Ivy League University in the US.

This is ultimately a heart-warming film about the strength of family and provides a welcome contrast to the number of films in recent years focussing on dysfunctional family units.