This 4.3 rated film earned Viggo Mortensen an Oscar nomination

Captain Fantastic, what is this?

In the remote forests of the Northwestern United States, the family is self-sufficient. Ben (Viggo Mortensen), a devoted family man, has devoted his entire life to the extraordinary growth of his six young children.

But when fate befalls them, they must leave the paradise they created and reluctantly join the outside world. Discovering this reality forces Ben to question his education methods and question everything he has taught his children.

A tale both tender and cruel, between dream and reality

Lost in the mountains of Washington, the Cash family seems to be living in a dream. Rivers sing in the coolness of the forest, children play and study with their parents, eat healthy and natural products…

Matt Ross’s gaze, as in a documentary, wanders through the lush greenery and stops at the details he spoils, from the bark of the tall trees to the gentle embrace of the family who have made their haven of peace there.

Despite this simple life, the Nachs are still a cultured people. Between two family sports sessions, the reading of literary classics follows each other, interspersed with political and philosophical conversations… There is no place for conflict between them, where dialogue, reason and family are king.

But the violence, which is not at home, apparently ends after a dramatic incident in their lives. Forced to approach the men they’ve always shied away from, Cash finds herself immersed in an environment that isn’t hers.

Severe and cruel, sometimes funny despite everything, this confrontation changes the family’s first observation of its environment. From a fascinating desert documentary, Captain Fantastic moves into an even more exciting encounter between two worlds. Sweet dreamers, straight from the ideal world and reality.

A poignant family portrait brought to life by brilliant performers

awarded at Cannes for its staging, Captain fantastic It was also nominated for an Oscar for its outstanding performance in the lead actor. Unforgettable in the Lord of the Rings saga, but also in the Green Book, Daniel Viggo Mortensen It’s disturbing in his role as a non-conformist and moonlighting father, but still imbued with good intentions and love for his family.

Next to him, George McKay (1917), Samantha Isler (Le Grand Jeu) or even Annalize Basso (Snow) shine with the same maturity as their characters, sensitive children who very quickly became adults.

A fascinating confrontation between two lives, ideal and reality, Captain fantastic Sometimes brutal, sometimes burlesque, but never ceases to move or seduce with the power of its imagery and its performers.

A nugget to discover starting June 16, exclusively on UniversCiné.