Captain Fantastic

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2:31

Captain Fantastic

R

Released Jul 8, 2016

1h 59m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

228 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen), his wife Leslie and their six children live deep in the wilderness of Washington state. Isolated from society, Ben and Leslie devote their existence to raising their kids -- educating them to think critically, training them to be physically fit and athletic, guiding them in the wild without technology and demonstrating the beauty of co-existing with nature. When Leslie dies suddenly, Ben must take his sheltered offspring into the outside world for the first time.

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Critics Consensus

Captain Fantastic's thought-provoking themes -- and an absorbing starring turn from Viggo Mortensen -- add up to an above-average family drama with unexpected twists.

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Karen Han

CutPrintFilm

While the spirit of the movie is admirable, the constant tirades by the Cash family against typical society grow repetitive and lose their impact as a result, even as a device to show the difficulties in processing grief.

Rated: 5/10

Dec 8, 2017

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Fantastic, indeed.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2016

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Danny Leigh

Financial Times

There are many tonal plates being spun here; the lack of a deafening crash is impressive. It comes down, you suspect, to the film's embrace of its own contradictions.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2016

Full Review

JD Duran

InSession Film

Captain Fantastic thrives on comedy that knows when to peek its head and when to let drama and emotion carry the audience. Alex Somers score provocatively amplifies each of those elements...

Rated: A

Aug 19, 2024

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... a road movie, a family drama, a tale of loss, and a loving portrait of an alternative family that is prepared to face everything but the modern world.

Sep 8, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Matt Ross’s story of this off-the-grid family clashing with the outside world naturally has its funny moments. But it’s also a film filled with genuine feeling.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

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Camila P

Bittersweet tale of an alternative family who struggles with themes like mental health, sense of belonging, and parenthood. Exceptional acting all around, and a great balance of comedy and drama. It gets all stars from me as a movie who makes you feel all the feelings and different from most family movie out there.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/05/25

Full Review

Fer S

It's OK. As someone who also shares the protagonist's point of view, I found some inconsistencies throughout the movie. Nobody who takes such care of the mind and body would drink alcohol or eat sugar. Also, if those kids had really been educated in that manner, they would have no reason for wanting to go to college, play videogames or eat junk food.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/08/25

Full Review

Pip S

Very beautiful and sweet movie. A not so irrational but certainly not realistic father and his beautiful family in a different learning life clashing with society.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/25

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Zachary L

Such a good movie! Might be difficult for you if you believe in confirming with social norms for conformance's sake. A beautiful ode to alternative lifestyle

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

Full Review

Eric R

Probably one of the best films to come out within the last decade! Grossly under-rated thought piece that makes you question the spectrum off off-grid living versus modernity, socialization, parenting, family dynamics, and what makes a person live a successful life. Pacing is excellent with a well balanced mix of smart comedy and heartfelt emotion as a nontraditional family navigates the challenging terrain of life, love and loss. Who knew Matt Ross was such a genius, because this film is proof of it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/20/24

Full Review

BHASKAR S

It was simply Fantastic

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

Full Review

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Matt Ross

Director

Viggo Mortensen

Ben

Frank Langella

Jack

George MacKay

Bodevan

Samantha Isler

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Captain Fantastic: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen), his wife Leslie and their six children live deep in the wilderness of Washington state. Isolated from society, Ben and Leslie devote their existence to raising their kids -- educating them to think critically, training them to be physically fit and athletic, guiding them in the wild without technology and demonstrating the beauty of co-existing with nature. When Leslie dies suddenly, Ben must take his sheltered offspring into the outside world for the first time.

Director: Matt Ross
Producer: Lynette Howell Taylor, Jamie Patricof, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson
Screenwriter: Matt Ross
Distributor: Bleecker Street Media
Production Co: Electric City Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Brief Graphic Nudity)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 8, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.9M
Runtime: 1h 59m

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