Captain Fantastic

(2016)

In Captain Fantastic, Ben and Leslie Cash have chosen to live a unique and off-the-grid lifestyle in the mountains of Washington state with their six children. They teach their children socialist values and survivalism, believing that society is fascist and that self-sufficiency is essential. The children are homeschooled and receive intense physical training, learning skills such as hunting and foraging.

Leslie's health deteriorates due to her bipolar disorder, and she is sent to a hospital. Tragically, she commits suicide while there. This event sparks a battle between Ben and Leslie's wealthy Christian father, Jack Bertrang, who blames Ben for her death and believes that his children are being abused. Jack takes control of the funeral arrangements, going against Leslie's Buddhist beliefs.

Despite Jack's threats, Ben and the children embark on a mission to honor Leslie's last wishes and rescue her body for a Buddhist cremation. Along the way, the family is exposed to the good and bad aspects of commercial America, and Ben's eldest son, Bo, begins to question his own path in life.

Captain Fantastic explores themes of grief, family dynamics, and the clash of different ideologies. As the Cash family faces personal tragedy and confronts societal norms, they must find their own way to navigate both the external pressures and their own internal conflicts.