---
title: "Captain Fantastic"
year: 2016
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/captain-fantastic"
fi1m_id: "captain-fantastic"
imdb_id: "tt3553976"
tmdb_id: 334533
wikidata_id: "Q18703094"
fi1m_score: 63
critics_score: 64
critics_reviews: 28
published: "2026-10-02T23:20:16.132385+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-02T23:20:28.703993+00:00"
region: "CA"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Captain Fantastic (2016)

Directed by Matt Ross · 1h 59m · CHVRS R · Drama, Comedy

## Identity

Captain Fantastic

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/captain-fantastic
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** captain-fantastic
- **IMDb ID:** tt3553976
- **TMDB ID:** 334533
- **Wikidata ID:** Q18703094
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3553976/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/334533, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18703094

**Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 64 from 28 reviews

*In a sentence:* Six children who can recite the Bill of Rights, and a film that thinks that settles the argument

> Viggo Mortensen is superb as a father who raised six children in the woods on Chomsky and knife drills, and the children are nearly as good. Matt Ross’s film likes him more than it should, and the last half hour cannot decide how to end.

## Synopsis

Deep in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) is raising six children without school, television or neighbours. Mornings are rock climbing and knife drills; evenings are Dostoevsky by the fire, and the family marks Noam Chomsky Day rather than Christmas. The eldest, Bodevan (George MacKay), has just killed his first deer. Their mother, Leslie (Trin Miller), is in hospital, and when Ben drives to town he learns she has died. Her father, Jack (Frank Langella), tells him he is not welcome at the funeral in New Mexico. The children insist on going, so the family loads a converted bus they call Steve and heads south, with a stop at the home of Ben’s sister Harper (Kathryn Hahn) and her husband Dave (Steve Zahn).

## Review

Matt Ross, who wrote and directed, has made a film about a man who took his family out of America to raise them properly, and about what happens when America gets them back for a fortnight. Ben Cash wants his six children strong, well read and unafraid of the truth, and by his own lights he has managed it: an eight-year-old can explain the Bill of Rights and the eldest can skin a deer. *Captain Fantastic* is warm, funny and well acted, and it is also a film that has decided its hero is right before the argument starts. That is the trouble with it.

Mortensen is the reason to go. He plays Ben without a trace of the holy fool, a man who is intelligent and tender and also capable of sending a child on up a rock face with a hurt hand because pain is information. He listens to his children properly, which is rare on screen, and when he is wrong, as he often is, Mortensen lets us watch him hear it and refuse it. The children are nearly as good. George MacKay gives Bodevan a stiff, polite panic about every human being he meets who is not a relation, and Shree Crooks, as Zaja, delivers chunks of constitutional law with the seriousness of a child reading out a shopping list. Nicholas Hamilton’s Rellian is the one who wants out, and the film is at its best when it lets him say so.

Stéphane Fontaine shoots the forest in green and gold, early light through high trees and a river that looks cold, and he gives the training runs the loose energy of home video. Russell Barnes builds the camp as a place people have lived in for years: hand-built shelters, a vegetable garden, shelves of split paperbacks under tarpaulin. Courtney Hoffman dresses the family in hand-stitched layers in the woods and then, for the funeral, puts Ben in a red suit and the children in colours that read as an insult to everyone in black, which is the intention. Alex Somers’s score is soft, chiming and reverent, and it tells us the woods are sacred rather more often than we needed telling.

The road is where the deck gets stacked. The family stops with Ben’s sister Harper (Kathryn Hahn) and her husband Dave (Steve Zahn), whose sons are handed a games console and a blank stare so that Zaja can out-argue them about the Constitution. We laughed, and then we noticed that nobody at that table had been allowed a sentence in reply, and the laugh went sour on us. It happens again in a diner, where the children gape at the size of the other customers, and again in a supermarket. The film keeps setting up rooms full of fools so that Ben can be the only adult in them.

Frank Langella’s Jack is the exception, and the film improves whenever he is on screen. He is rich, rigid and grieving, he believes Ben is dangerous, and Langella plays him so that we half believe it too. Ann Dowd, as his wife Abigail, gets even less to do than Hahn, and Leslie herself, the dead woman everyone is fighting over, is a photograph and a voice. For a film about a marriage that chose this life together, we learn remarkably little about the half of the marriage that was ill.

Joseph Krings cuts the forest half briskly and the last half hour as if the film cannot find the door. There are at least three points where it could stop, it stops at none of them, and each one softens the one before. And yet, somewhere in there, the children sing a song around a fire, and we were moved more than we had any right to be by a film we had been arguing with for an hour. It is the faces that do it, MacKay’s in particular, and for three minutes the film is about grief rather than about being right.

It is a comfortable film about an uncomfortable man. See it for Mortensen, for Langella and for the children, and bring someone who disagrees with Ben, because the film has not thought to. It runs 119 minutes and carries a 15.

*Fi1m score 63, published 2 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics lean warm on Captain Fantastic, and almost all of them land on the same thing: Viggo Mortensen. Review after review credits him with holding the film together as Ben, a father both devoted and overbearing, and with keeping the character sympathetic even when his choices are not. The young cast, George MacKay in particular, draw repeated praise, as does the believable family dynamic between them. Many also find it funny and moving.

The split is on what the film does with its premise. The reservations cluster around smugness: a sizeable minority argue it idealises Ben, lets him off too lightly and tidies its ending. The spread is wide, from a full-marks notice at Den of Geek to outright dismissal at Slant Magazine and Consequence, with the Los Angeles Times faulting it for sidelining Leslie and the film’s women. Even the harshest reviews keep Mortensen out of the firing line.

## Straight answers

**Is Captain Fantastic worth watching?**

*Captain Fantastic* is worth watching for Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella and the six children, and we scored it 63. It is warm, funny and well acted, but Matt Ross has decided his hero is right before the argument starts, and the last half hour cannot find its ending. Bring someone who disagrees with Ben, because the film has not thought to.

**How long is Captain Fantastic, and what is it rated?**

*Captain Fantastic* runs 1h 59m and is rated R by the CHVRS in Canada. It is a drama and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Captain Fantastic in Canada?**

*Captain Fantastic* is streaming on Crave and Amazon Prime Video in Canada, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV from CA$4.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Captain Fantastic, and is it suitable for children?**

*Captain Fantastic* carries a 15 certificate in the UK and an R in the United States, and it is a drama rather than a frightening film. The children are raised on knife drills and rock climbing, the eldest kills a deer early on, and the story turns on a parent's death and a family funeral, so it suits older teenagers rather than younger children.

**How does Captain Fantastic compare to Leave No Trace?**

*Captain Fantastic* and [*Leave No Trace*](https://film.one/film/leave-no-trace) both follow a father raising children in the Pacific Northwest woods, but Debra Granik's film lets both sides be right where Matt Ross's keeps stacking the deck for Ben. *Leave No Trace* is the quieter, more patient and more affecting film; *Captain Fantastic* is the funnier one, with the bigger performances. Choose Granik's for the relationship, Ross's for Mortensen.

**What should I watch after Captain Fantastic?**

After *Captain Fantastic*, try [*Leave No Trace*](https://film.one/film/leave-no-trace) (2018, Fi1m 88): A father and daughter in the Oregon woods, and a film that lets both be right. Then [*Hunt for the Wilderpeople*](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople) (2016, Fi1m 82): A boy and a grumpy foster uncle loose in the New Zealand bush, lighter and funnier.

### Reviews we read (28)

- **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (85/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film thrilling, poignant and life-affirming, while keeping its portrait of Ben’s parenting deliberately complex. He particularly praises the performances, landscape cinematography and a song sequence that moved him to tears. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/11/captain-fantastic-review-viggo-mortensen)
- **The i Paper**, Matthew Turner (85/100, inferred): Turner finds the film funny, thoughtful and moving, anchored by an awards-worthy performance. He especially praises Viggo Mortensen’s charismatic acting, though he says the finale feels muted. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/captain-fantastic-viggo-mortensen-oscar-20981)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (85/100, inferred): Debruge finds the family drama emotionally gripping, polished, and relatable, praising its evenhanded treatment of unconventional parenting. He singles out Viggo Mortensen’s sensitive performance and the film’s willingness to embrace genuine emotion. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/captain-fantastic-film-review-sundance-1201687010/)
- **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (80/100, inferred): O’Hara finds the film a thoughtful, engaging portrait of an unconventional family encountering the wider world. She singles out Viggo Mortensen’s compelling performance as its caring but dictatorial father. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/captain-fantastic-review/)
- **Total Film**, Neil Smith (4/5): The review finds the film a heartfelt, funny road movie that thoughtfully probes the limits of unconventional parenting. It praises Viggo Mortensen’s performance for holding the ensemble together while conveying a father whose devotion can work against his children’s interests. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/captain-fantastic-review/)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (75/100, inferred): O'Sullivan finds plenty to love in the film despite a few smug moments. She praises its refusal to reduce Ben to either a deluded tyrant or a principled pioneer, highlighting Mortensen's performance and the script's complexity. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/captain-fantastic-film-review-he-may-not-be-a-superhero-but-viggo-mortensen-makes-for-one-kooky-dad-a3340936.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Ed Frankl (75/100, inferred): Frankl finds the film adventurous and tender, though not wholly original. He particularly praises Mortensen’s performance and the believable family dynamic created by the cast. [Read](https://lwlies.com/festivals/captain-fantastic-first-look-review)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (70/100, inferred): Edelstein finds the film exuberant and engaging, while valuing its unresolved questions about parenting and civilization. He singles out the children’s performances and Frank Langella’s dramatic weight for praise. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2016/07/review-captain-fantastics-wild-radical-ride.html)
- **The New York Times**, A. O. Scott (65/100, inferred): The review gives the film a generally positive but qualified verdict. It singles out Viggo Mortensen’s performance and the film’s thoughtful questions about parenting and idealism. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/08/movies/captain-fantastic-review.html)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. I could not verify what the critic praised or criticized. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/sundance-2016-sing-street-complete-unknown-captain-fantastic)
- **Screen Daily**, Anthony Kaufman (64/100, inferred): The review’s verdict is unavailable because the article text is behind a paywall. The visible portion does not reveal what the critic praises or criticizes. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/captain-fantastic-review/5099249.article)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (C+): Dowd finds the film too tidy and sentimental, using its unusual family setup mainly for familiar road-movie comedy. He praises Viggo Mortensen’s nuanced performance, especially his ability to make Ben both compelling and occasionally unsympathetic. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/captain-fantastic-is-a-road-movie-not-half-as-brainy-as-1798188292)
- **Radio Times**, Damon Wise (3/5): Wise finds the film spirited and feel-good, but says it does not hold up to much scrutiny. He singles out its appealing family dynamic and overarching message as strengths. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-fl23jc/captain-fantastic/)
- **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (3/5): The critic presents it as a domestic drama with an offbeat, wayward spirit. The review singles out the soulful quality Viggo Mortensen brings to the film. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/captain-fantastic)
- **IndieWire**, Russ Fischer (C): Fischer finds the film well-made and its cast strong, but says its smugness and idealized portrayal of Ben undermine its themes. He particularly praises Viggo Mortensen’s performance and the children’s ensemble. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/sundance-review-captain-fantastic-starring-viggo-mortensen-frank-langella-and-kathryn-hahn-88196/)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (40/100, inferred): Brody finds the film skillfully constructed but not especially good, criticizing its schematic approach and lack of grounding in practical experience. He praises the strong dramatic backbone and the cast’s performances, which make the script leap from the screen. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-counter-superhero-calibrations-of-captain-fantastic)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (30/100, inferred): Chang finds the film charming and well acted at first, but ultimately sentimental, self-satisfied, and less interesting than it seems. He particularly praises Viggo Mortensen’s compelling performance while faulting the film for sidelining Leslie and its female characters. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-captain-fantastic-review-20160704-snap-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Keith Watson (1/4): Watson argues that the film trivializes its radical premise beneath contrived quirk and feel-good plotting. He praises Viggo Mortensen for giving Ben a convincing emotional core, while criticizing the film’s shallow social critique. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/captain-fantastic/)
- **Den of Geek**, Rob Leane (5/5): Leane gives the film an emphatic endorsement, calling it a touching and entertaining exploration of family. He particularly praises Viggo Mortensen’s charismatic performance and the strong young cast. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/captain-fantastic-review-2/)
- **HeyUGuys** (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the film one of Cannes’s funniest and sweetest, praising its humor and compelling family story. They single out the young cast’s performances, while faulting the story for choosing compromise over a more unconventional ending. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/captain-fantastic-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Tom Charles (★★★★): The review finds the drama smart and engaging, with an unorthodox approach to parenting at its center. It particularly praises Viggo Mortensen and George MacKay, whose performances make the reviewer wish the road trip lasted longer. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/captain-fantastic)
- **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (80/100, inferred): The critic is delighted by the film, while reserving final judgment until a second viewing. They single out Viggo Mortensen’s nuanced performance as a tough, loving, and grieving father. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/captain-fantastic-review-viggo-mortensen-george-mackay-frank-langella/)
- **NME** (75/100, inferred): The review finds the film affecting and provocative despite some flaws. It praises the complexity of Ben Cash, while criticizing the sitcom-like humor and tidy ending. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-various-artists-16561-303731)
- **Paste**, Melissa Weller (6.0/10): Weller finds the film’s performances and direction engaging, but says its story loses substance as it progresses. She particularly praises Viggo Mortensen and George MacKay while faulting the contrived, unresolved family drama. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/captain-fantastic)
- **The Playlist**, Russ Fischer (C): The critic finds the film smug and dishonest, ultimately undermining its ideas about grief. He praises Mortensen’s performance and the young cast, while faulting the film for idealizing Ben and dismissing those outside his family. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/captain-fantastic-starring-viggo-mortensen-dishonest-fantasy-review-20160705/)
- **Collider**, Adam Chitwood (D+): Chitwood finds the film naïve and frustrating, despite its compelling premise. He praises Viggo Mortensen’s nuanced performance but criticizes the film for abandoning its challenges to the parents’ choices. [Read](https://collider.com/captain-fantastic-review-sundance/)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (35/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film overworked and uneven, with caricatured characters obscuring its story of grief. She particularly faults the succession of unsatisfying endings. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/captain-fantastic-2016-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)
- **Consequence**, Dominick Suzanne-Mayer (10/100, inferred): The critic finds the film frustrating and obnoxious, arguing that it turns a promising idea into a self-congratulatory rant. He praises Viggo Mortensen’s performance for grounding Ben’s cruelty in scarred vulnerability. [Read](https://consequence.net/2016/07/film-review-captain-fantastic/)

## Details

- **Director:** Matt Ross
- **Director:** Matt Ross
- **Writer:** Matt Ross
- **Cinematography:** Stéphane Fontaine
- **Editor:** Joseph Krings
- **Music:** Alex Somers
- **Production design:** Russell Barnes
- **Costume design:** Courtney Hoffman
- **Producer:** Lynette Howell Taylor, Monica Levinson, Jamie Patricof
- **Cast:** Viggo Mortensen as Ben Cash; George MacKay as Bodevan Cash; Samantha Isler as Kielyr Cash; Annalise Basso as Vespyr Cash; Nicholas Hamilton as Rellian Cash; Shree Crooks as Zaja Cash; Charlie Shotwell as Nai Cash; Trin Miller as Leslie Abigail Cash
- **Runtime:** 1h 59m
- **Certificate (CHVRS):** R
- **Release (Canada):** 22 July 2016
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy
- **Budget:** $5 million
- **Box office:** $23 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5jeBvjcJe4

## Where to watch in Canada

- Crave: free
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Apple TV: rent CA$4.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy CA$9.99, hd

*Checked 2026-10-02.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HU, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PL, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2017: Best Actor (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Leave No Trace* (2018), Fi1m 88: A father and daughter in the Oregon woods, and a film that lets both be right — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/leave-no-trace.md)
- *The Mosquito Coast* (1986): Harrison Ford drags his family to the jungle to escape America and becomes what he fled
- *Running on Empty* (1988): Radical parents, children paying for it; Sidney Lumet has the argument this film skips
- *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: A boy and a grumpy foster uncle loose in the New Zealand bush, lighter and funnier — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md)
- *The Wolfpack* (2015): Documentary about brothers raised indoors in Manhattan, the opposite experiment with the same questions

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/captain-fantastic