Captain Fantastic

(spoiler free)

‘Captain Fantastic’, no not the latest Marvel film but instead, a family drama written and directed my Matt Ross. The film focuses on a family unit who after living in isolation in the woods for ten years have to re-enter the society that they were trying to avoid. The film stars Viggo Mortensen and a whole host of child actors making up their family tribe.

I have to start by discussing the very talented cast. Mortensen leads the group of performers here as he plays, Ben, the father to all the child actors characters. Other than ‘The Lord of The Rings’ trilogy and a couple of other films I really haven’t seen much of Mortensen’s filmography. He lives up to the title of the film here though as his performance is nothing short of fantastic. He was able to deliver the drama, emotion and humour effortlessly and helped to bring to life such a likeable main character. When it came to the children of the family I’m sure it was a tough job to cast six young actors and actresses who could be convincing in this narrative but once again 2016 has shown us the talent that resides in the youth performers of today. All six young performers do a wonderful job and have such great chemistry with each other and most importantly with their father. Special mention goes to George MacKay who probably gets the most to do of all the child characters but he takes this challenge on well and really stands out beside Mortensen. He has a very comedic sequence at a caravan site but he’s also involved in many of the more dramatic scenes which really allowed him to show his range. The entire family unit deserve praise here though as if their performances hadn’t of been convincing the film just wouldn’t have worked.

As I’ve briefly discussed through the performances already ‘Captain Fantastic’ was both funny and emotional. The film will make audiences laugh so easily, this will happen through one off lines of dialogue but also through cleverly thought out sequences which will have viewers laughing solidly for minutes. The fact that in companionship to this comedic tone there was also such a strong emotional core to the film only further shows the strength of the film. The emotion doesn’t just hit during one scene it is present through the entire film. Credit for this lies with the performances and character writing as you’ll find yourself just caring for this family so much. The narrative is responsible for allowing this comedy and emotion to feature so effectively alongside one and other but there is even more to it than just these elements. This story really makes you think about the world and question the way things are done. I enjoyed how it involved the audience so much and for the most part offers up a debate as to which style of parenting is better, the way of Mortensen’s character or the way of the world?

‘Captain Fantastic’ is without a doubt one of the best films of the year. It has a superb cast right from the youngest child actor to the most experienced performers. The narrative is so special thanks to its engaging subject and it’s made so entertaining to watch thanks to the comedy and emotion that run so deeply through it. This is a genuine must see and a film that should be enjoyed for years to come.

Rating – 9/10

Question: What is your favourite family drama or comedy?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)

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