By Renee’ Collins
Rating: 4.5 (Out of 5 Reels)
In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father, Ben (Viggo Mortensen), devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent (IMDB).
This film is unique because it takes the viewer on a day by day look at the life of Ben and his six children. The striking difference here is they are being raised in the woods with virtually no contact with the modern world. But don’t be fooled into thinking these kids are not educated and excel in various areas in their lives despite their situation. Their parents made a conscience decision to raise their kids off the grid for their own good. The problem is there are inherent issues living that kind of life that are unavoidable.
This film is extremely well written and acted film. It will definitely cause laughter and maybe even tears. All of the characters have depth and their plight becomes all-consuming from the beginning of the film. Those looking for something different should definitely see this film. It is inspiring because of their unabashed courage to try and buck the system. However, it is challenging to watch at times because of the difficult decisions that must be made in the end.