This idyll of off-the-grid existence is challenged when their mother dies in a New Mexico hospital. The long road trip to rescue her from the Christian funeral planned by her conservative parents may well remind you of Little Miss Sunshine. The kids are confronted for the first time with ‘normal’ American life. They’ve never seen fat people before. But nor have they seen their father subjected to the onslaught of criticism coming from his in-laws. The fantastic dad is obliged to defend his rigorous regime – and the film’s register moves from affectionate satire to a more heart-tugging evocation of the joys and pitfalls of education.
Captain Fantastic
USA 2016
119 mins
CinemaScope/DCP
Director/Screenplay: Matt Ross
Producers: Lynette Howell Taylor, Jamie Patricof, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson
Photography: Stéphane Fontaine
Editor: Joseph Krings
Production designer: Russell Barnes
Costume designer: Courtney Hoffman
Music: Alex Somers
With: Viggo Mortensen (Ben), Frank Langella (Jack), George MacKay (Bo), Samantha Isler (Kielyr), Annalise Basso (Vespyr), Nicholas Hamilton (Rellian), Shree Crooks (Zaja), Charlie Shotwell (Nai), Ann Dowd (Abigail), Erin Moriarty (Claire), Missi Pyle (Ellen), Kathryn Hahn (Harper), Steve Zahn (Dave)
Festivals: Sundance, Cannes (Un Certain Regard) 2016
Awards: Best Director (Un Certain Regard), Cannes Film Festival 2016
For tickets and details about films at other venues, please visit the New Zealand International Film Festival website.