Captain Fantastic (2016)

Captain Fantastic (2016) is a warm, sharp, and sometimes wrenching comedy-drama about family, ideology, and what it really means to raise children. Viggo Mortensen stars as Ben Cash, an intensely devoted father who has raised his six children off the grid in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, teaching them survival skills, rigorous physical training, philosophy, literature and radical politics. When a family tragedy forces them to leave their mountain paradise and travel across the country to attend a funeral, the Cash clan collides with mainstream society — and with the conservative relatives who want custody of the kids. Watching the film, you’ll experience a rich mix of tones: tender, funny family scenes and sharp, sometimes uncomfortable confrontations. The movie balances playful, quirky moments (children well-versed in Chomsky and wilderness survival) with raw grief and moral complexity. As the family moves through small towns and a conventional suburban household, their unconventional education and fierce independence are alternately admired, misunderstood, and challenged, producing both comic culture clashes and serious ethical debates about parenting, mental health, and personal freedom. The story also contains coming-of-age threads—particularly in Ben’s eldest son, Bo, whose encounters with the outside world and a budding romance force him to question his future. Performances are heartfelt and lived-in, and the film’s natural settings and intimate family dynamics make it visually and emotionally engaging. Overall, Captain Fantastic is thought-provoking and emotionally resonant: you’ll laugh, wince, and likely leave pondering the balance between ideals and responsibility, the costs of living on principle, and the compromises families must sometimes make.

Actors: Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler

Director: Matt Ross

Runtime: 118 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama

7.5 /10 72 /100 7.8 /10 7.5 /10