Movie No. 44 (2017): CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

Captain Fantastic (2016)
Director: Matt Ross
Cast: Viggo Mortensen

A family lives in isolation in their self-created "paradise" in the forests of Pacific Northwest. The father is devoted but controlling. A mother figure's absence is conspicuous. Then a news of a tragedy shakes the otherwise "ideal" family living. The father and his six children must temporarily leave the paradise and take a journey into the outside world. And so begins the character study.

Viggo Mortensen as the titular father figure has a strong presence in practically every scene he's in. That's a remarkable feat, playing as the controlling father. His strong performance is most noticeable. The movie brings to mind Peter Weir's The Mosquito Coast. While, in my opinion, Peter Weir's movie is the better movie, Captain Fantastic offers some fresh insights, particularly on challenges of parenting. Matt Ross seems to be in control except form a few but important scenes. 

Rating: 3.5/4.0

Date seen: July 29, 2017