Captain Fantastic surprised the audience in Cannes. Everyone expects something else from a good movie. The masses want action, popular faces and funny scenes. Though filmlovers in Cannes cannot be satisfied with the usual serial production from Hollywood.
They want to be inspired and discover new ways of thinking. You wanna be surprised and be taken on a journey. Does that sound like valid criteria for a good movie? For some it does.
Matt Ross came to Cannes to show his new movie for the first time. Captain Fantastic got chosen to run in the famous category “Un Certain Regard”, where filmmakers with an unusual talent get the chance to shine. The premiere of his new masterpiece was a big success – the audience laughed, and loved it.
The plot of Captain Fantastic
A dad from six children built his own little paradise deep in in a forest. Clipped of from any civilisation, the small family engages every day in survival activities. They do sports, hunt and grow their own food. They live a healthy lifestyle to be the best versions of themselves. Reading and improving every day.
When a dramatic event forces the family to leave their buddhist-paradise in the forest, they are challenged with western views and harsh criticism. The dad just wants the best for his children and is willing to do anything to ensure the best possible future for his family kingdom.
The film questions our very own lifestyle
This family is anything but stereotypical hippies. Firstly, they appear to be wild humans but after a while their way of life becomes more appealing than any western one. The dad aims to live after universal life principles. Less is more, speak always the truth and be honest at all times.
The family lives in the northwest of the USA, in a beautiful forest in complete harmony with nature. Even though the children seem to have nothing, they are the happiest people in the world. They learn because they want to, and they are happy because they are together.
After a while the movie makes you question our own education and the time when we were younger. Would we rather watch TV or engage in reading and running? A question that might be easy to answer but difficult to implement in our daily life. The dad repeats many life principles to his kids every day. One is: “Words alone do not count, you must express your desires in actions.”
Normally hippies get stamped as the “weirdos”. After watching this movie you start questioning whether we allocate our judgement correctly. After understanding the benefits and motives of “buddhist people”, all of us can relate to them – because they are universal in life. Every opinion is accepted, you don’t hold secrets and always speak the truth.
When the family is forced to leave their paradise, two worlds clash against each other. And we in the cinema tend to sympathise with the father. Suddenly not the hippies are the weirdos, it is us, who are feeling weird about ourselves. Many movies inspire and give new perspectives. But only few make you want to have another identity. It is an indeed, weird feeling when you are embarrassed of your own society.
