Mark your calendars; the 89th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on February 26th! With the awards season upon us, a horde of Oscar-worthy films have been flooding the theaters, and I’ve had the privilege of viewing a generous handful of them. Of these, Captain Fantastic was the most poignant and memorable. It follows the story of a socially-inept, forest-dwelling family that ultimately endures modern civilization after the death of a close relative. The protagonist is played by the rugged, yet utterly lovable Viggo Mortensen, commonly known for his role as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning News, Mortensen admitted that Captain Fantastic would be his last role as an actor. Mortensen made sure he retired with one last bang; this film surely puts him on the list as a contender for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
The family’s organic and disciplined lifestyle made me long for a world where Netflix-binging and chocolate cakes are replaced with poetry circles and cliff-side meditations. The children have a rigorous fitness agenda and precocious homeschool assignments to occupy themselves while in the remote wilderness. Their father preaches candor and trust to his kids as the principles of life. They are, without a doubt, the most wholesome on-screen family in every aspect but one — socializing with the outer world.
There are a few scenes that unnecessarily drag, but there are even more moments that dance wonderfully with the breeze of the film. For instance, the family’s acoustic take on Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine” at the mother’s funeral beautifully merges with the departure of the eldest son at the airport. I felt nostalgic and grateful for the childhood memories that the song induced; this gratitude inflated as the song came to a close and Mortensen’s character advises his son, “Live each day like it could be your last. You drink it in, be adventurous, be bold, but savor it; it goes fast.” I tend to fall for films that offer life advice, especially when it comes from a wise, experienced persona.
I would be shocked if Captain Fantastic leaves this year’s award ceremony without any honors. It’s a film worthy of the highest praises. If anything, it’s a film that makes me want to get an earthy tattoo and to crack open a Noam Chomsky book. Captain Fantastic is, as its name implies, fantastic.
