Captain Fantastic
Available to Stream
Watch Now
Subscription
Rent or Buy
Availability may vary by region.
Some streaming links are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, VidScio may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Overview
Ben and Leslie Cash live largely off the grid with their offspring -- Bodevan, Kielyr, Vespyr, Rellian, Zaja and Nai -- in a cabin in the mountains of Washington state. The parents have passed their socialist and survivalist ideals to their children. Ben considers most of Western society to be fascist, especially corporate America. He also believes...
Director / Creator
Matt Ross
Writers
Matt Ross
Top Cast
About Captain Fantastic (2016)
Filmoverview · cast · reception · where to watch
Overview
Captain Fantastic (2016) is a Comedy and Drama film from United States. the film was directed by Matt Ross. It runs 1 hour and 58 minutes and was produced primarily in English and Esperanto.
What it's about
Ben and Leslie Cash live largely off the grid with their offspring -- Bodevan, Kielyr, Vespyr, Rellian, Zaja and Nai -- in a cabin in the mountains of Washington state. The parents have passed their socialist and survivalist ideals to their children. Ben considers most of Western society to be fascist, especially corporate America. He also believes that no one will or should be there for you, so you'd better learn how to take care of yourself. As such, the children have been subject to vigorous physical training; know how to deal with minor bumps, bruises, cuts, sprains, and even fractures; and know how to hunt, forage, and grow their own food. The children are also non-registered home schooled, meaning that they have no official academic records. Ben and Leslie have tried to make the children critical thinkers, however, within the context of their ideals. Beyond these issues, Ben and Leslie made the decision to live this lifestyle for Leslie's health. Formerly an attorney, Leslie was diagnosed as bipolar. Ben believes that this disorder started with her postpartum depression with Bo. Yet Leslie's condition has worsened. Despite not believing in Western medicine, Ben sends Leslie to a hospital close to Ben's sister, Harper, so that there can be family close by. While hospitalized, Leslie commits suicide. Beyond the collective grief, Leslie's act brings out a battle between Ben and Leslie's father, Jack Bertrang, a Christian who not only blames Ben for Leslie's death, but believes that what he is doing "to" the children can legally be considered abuse. Jack takes over the funeral arrangements as per his and his complacent wife Abby's Christian morals, against what Ben knows was Leslie's wishes, as she believed in Buddhist philosophies. Although Jack threatens to call the police if Ben shows up to the funeral, Ben and the children believe it is their mission to honor Leslie's last wishes to be cremated as per Buddhist philosophy. This mission not only may bring the divide between Jack and Ben to a head, but may also bring out some long dormant issues between the Cash children as they are exposed to commercial America in all its good and bad, and as Bo grows into manhood, he may have his own ideas of what he should do with the next phase of his life.
Cast and crew
The film stars Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, and Samantha Isler in supporting roles.
Critical reception
On IMDb, Captain Fantastic holds a rating of 7.8/10 based on 246,036 user votes. Rotten Tomatoes lists a critical score of 82%. Metacritic aggregates a score of 72/100 from professional reviewers. Notable recognition: Nominated for 1 Oscar. 15 wins & 51 nominations total. These numbers place Captain Fantastic within the broader landscape of Comedy and Drama cinema from 2016, giving viewers a benchmark before deciding to watch.
Where to watch
Captain Fantastic is currently available to stream with a subscription on Amazon. Free, ad-supported viewing options are available on Kanopy and Hoopla. Streaming rights move between platforms regularly, so the providers shown above reflect current availability based on the most recent data we have on file.
Why Captain Fantastic is worth knowing
If you enjoy Comedy or Drama films, Captain Fantastic offers a representative example of the genre's conventions and storytelling style. As a 2016 release, it sits within a specific moment in film history, making it a useful reference point for understanding how comedy evolved during that period. Performances from Viggo Mortensen and George MacKay are central to the work, and tracking their broader filmographies can lead to other titles you may want to add to your watchlist. Use VidScio to identify scenes, find related movies, and keep Captain Fantastic on your watchlist for later.
Identify a movie from a scene, plot, or URL
Discover details about Captain Fantastic (2016). VidScio helps you identify movies from scenes, plots, or vague descriptions.