The children wish to honor Leslie's final wishes, and convince Ben to help them. Although they have bonded with their grandparents, they quietly decide to follow Ben when he departs. Ben, shocked and guilty, allows Jack to take his children. When Vespyr tries to 'free' Rellian from their grandparents, she falls from the roof and narrowly avoids breaking her neck. Rellian tells Ben he wants to live with their grandparents, who want custody of all the children. Bodevan accuses him of not equipping them for the real world, showing him acceptance letters from several top Ivy League colleges, which Leslie had helped him apply to. Rellian accuses him of failing to treat Leslie's mental health. Ben tries to reason with Jack, but he still refuses to listen to him.ĭuring their road trip, some of Ben's children start to doubt him and his parenting skills. In response, Jack has Ben forcibly removed from the church. Ben arrives at Leslie's funeral with their children and irreverently reads her will, which instructs her family to cremate her and flush her ashes down a toilet. She and her husband try to convince Ben that the children should attend school to receive a conventional education in response, Ben quizzes Harper's children and his children on various topics, illustrating that his children are better educated and embarrassing Harper and her husband.

The family briefly stays at the home of Ben's sister, Harper. He initially decides not to go and prevents his children from doing so, but then changes his mind, leading his children on a road trip into life outside the wilderness. They argue over the phone, and Jack threatens to have Ben arrested if he attends the funeral. He learns that Leslie's father, Jack, plans to hold a Christian burial despite Leslie being a Buddhist who wished to be cremated. Leslie is hospitalized, away from her family and near her parents for bipolar disorder and eventually commits suicide, leaving Ben to raise the children on his own. The children are accustomed to reading many forms of college-level literature, and, while showing high aptitude and intelligence beyond their years, they are socially awkward as they have not socialized with the outside world. They are raised to coexist with nature, and they celebrate Noam Chomsky's birthday instead of Christmas. They educate them to think critically, and train them to be physically fit, athletic, and self-reliant without dependence on modern technology. They are former left-wing anarchist activists disillusioned with capitalism and American life, who choose to instill survivalist skills and left-wing politics and philosophy in their children.

These photos from Captain Fantastic were sourced from, MovieStillsDB, IMDb, and OutNow.ch.Ben Cash, his wife Leslie, and their six children live an isolated existence on ten acres in the mountainous Washington wilderness. See all related articles » Production Stills The film is warm, funny, poignant, and challenges the viewer to think about the values of society and family, freedom, ideals, and choices. This brings them into conflict with societal norms and extended family. When he learns that she has died, he and his brood head to civilization to make sure that her final requests are carried out. Leslie has been in a medical facility while Ben cares for the children (Bodevan, Kielyr, Vespyr, Rellian, Zaja and Nai). Ben and his wife Leslie are former anarchist activists disillusioned with capitalism and American life, and chose to instill survivalist skills, left wing politics, and philosophy in their children – educating them to think critically, training them to be self-reliant, physically fit and athletic, guiding them without technology, demonstrating the beauty of coexisting with nature and celebrating Noam Chomsky’s birthday instead of Christmas. Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) lives off the grid with his six children in a cabin in the mountains of Washington state.

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