Captain Fantastic (2016)

“Captain Fantastic” stars Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, George MacKay, Kathryn Hahn, and Steve Zahn.  Released on July 8, 2016, the film is about an isolated family who goes on a road trip to the outside world to attend their mother’s funeral.

The film is directed by Matt Ross, who also directed 28 Hotel Rooms.  I have seen and reviewed plenty of action-packed blockbusters throughout the summer, so seeing this film is a nice change of pace.  I really haven’t heard anything about it until I saw the poster for the first time.  All I know is that it looks like a road trip movie, and I’m always in a mood for a road trip movie.  So with that said, is this film worth seeing?

Pros:
Impressive performances, including Mortensen as Ben.

Likable characters.

Thought-provoking themes, such as family and coping with loss, fit well with its road trip formula.

The ending nearly tugged my heart strings.

The score was pleasant.

Cons:
Took a while for the plot to hook me up.

A bit too long.
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Final thoughts: In the midst of the summer blockbuster season, “Captain Fantastic” is an odd, heart-warming breather that manages to get better as it went on.  Thanks to some likable characters, great performances, and its usual, yet sometimes emotional, story-telling, it is one of the most remarkable films I’ve seen this year.  If it’s playing at a theater near you or you’re just looking for a summer film without any aliens, ghosts, or even some CGI apes, it’s worth checking out.

A-