I know the name...really...could use a change. Though....now that I know what it’s called (and am smitten with it)...I couldn’t imagine any other name.
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(Hopefully by this point you’ve finished all 118 minutes of ‘Captain Fantastic’ , the kind of person who isn’t bothered by spoilers, or are just deciding if you still want to keep watching.)
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Did you also feel like this felt older than it is (it was only released in 2016)? I wonder if it’s one of those: ‘I couldn’t believe there was a time in the past where this film didn’t exist’.
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HIGHLIGHTS:
Ben’s gives a ‘fake present’ to Nai
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INT. HARPER AND DAVE'S HOUSE (KITCHEN/DINING ROOM) - DAY
The kids head to the lounge room and DAVE eyes HARPER. Now may be a good time.
DAVE starts clearing up the table.
DAVE
How are the kids doing?
BEN
They're strong.
BEN stands up and flips the book he was reading with ZAJA. It's Art Spiegelman's 'Maus'.
DAVE
How long have you been out there, wherever it is you're living now?
BEN
We left Boulder when Bo was three.
BEN starts picking up plates.
BEN
And then we were on that farm we had in Oregon until he was eight.
DAVE does the calculation in his head as he places the plates on the kitchen sink.
BEN
So we bought the land in the forest ten years ago.
DAVE
How do you still have money?
BEN shrugs and heads to the sink.
BEN
We only buy what we need.
DAVE
Look, Harper and I have been talking. The kids need structure, stability. They need to go to a real school, so they can get real jobs.
HARPER
Oh, for Christ's sake. You're gonna get them killed!
DAVE turns to his wife.
DAVE
Whoa.
He gives her those eyes again. We need to tread carefully! HARPER just shakes her head.
BEN doesn't engage and continues to put dishes in the sink.
HARPER
I'm sorry. But your...your kids are without a mother now. I don't think you have any idea what you're doing to them.
BEN
I'm saving their lives. That's what I'm doing.
HARPER can't believe what she's hearing.
HARPER
Ben, you sound so ridiculous.
BEN
Is knowing how to set a broken bone or how to treat a severe burn ridiculous?
He gives DAVE a quick glance
BEN
Knowing how to navigate by the stars in total darkness. That's ridiculous?
He pauses for emphasis.
BEN
How to identify edible plants, how to make clothes from animal skins, how to survive in the forest with nothing but a knife? That's ridiculous to you?
HARPER
Jesus.
DAVE glances at his wife. It's not something that they should get into now.
BEN
They have the cardiovascular and muscular endurance levels of elite athletes.
HARPER
Who cares! They're children! They need to go to school! They need to learn about the world.
INT. HARPER AND DAVE'S HOUSE (HALLWAY) - CONTINUOUS
BEN walks towards the foot of the stairs.
BEN
Justin? Jackson? Would you please come down here for a second?
BEN walks back to the kitchen.
INT. HARPER AND DAVE'S HOUSE (KITCHEN/DINING ROOM) - CONTINUOUS
He glances at HARPER and DAVE. Raises both his hands: I'll do this instead rather than argue with you.
The boys arrive.
JACKSON
What?
BEN
How old are you now, Jackson?
JACKSON
Thirteen
BEN nods and quickly calculates an appropriate question.
BEN
Can you tell me what the Bill of Rights is?
HARPER braces...hopeful.
JACKSON
Um, what something costs, I guess.
BEN
That's a good guess. Justin, you're in high school?
JUSTIN
Yeah.
JUSTIN nods.
BEN
Do you like your school?
JUSTIN hesitates, but knows he has to give something.
JUSTIN
It's whatever.
BEN smiles weakly.
BEN
Do you know what the 'Bill of Rights' is?
JUSTIN searches his memory.
JUSTIN
It's a...government thing, right? Like, rights that people have in America and stuff.
HARPER smiles and nods. Proud of what her kid has picked up at school.
BEN
Yep. Hey, Zaja.
ZAJA
(OS)
Yes?
BEN
Would you please come down here a moment, sweetie?
DAVE glances at HARPER, who now has a clue what's going to go down. She forces a smile.
ZAJA joins the party. BEN leads her by the hand to the centre of the room.
BEN
I wanted to ask you a quick question.
He turns to both DAVE and HARPER.
BEN
Zaja just turned eight, by the way.
ZAJA gives everyone present a glance and smiles. Not an ounce of worry.
Ben turns to his daughter.
BEN
The Bill of Rights.
ZAJA
"Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of...”
BEN
Stop. Regurgitating memorized amendments isn't what I'm asking for.
ZAJA nods.
BEN
Just tell me something about it in your own words.
ZAJA nods...the wheels are turning. Still cool as a cucumber.
ZAJA
Without the 'Bill of Rights', we'd be more like...China. Here, at least, we don't have warrantless searches. We have free speech. Citizens are protected from cruel and unusual punishment---
HARPER
That's enough
ZAJA
Are protected---
BEN
Wait a minute. Zaja, how would you characterize the 2010 Supreme Court decision on Citizens United?
DAVE and HARPER shift uncomfortably.
ZAJA takes a moment.
ZAJA
Corportations have the same rights as people, so there's no spending limit on candidates. Which means our country is rules by corporations and their lobbyists who fund candidates...
JUSTIN has lost interest and couldn't wait to get out of there. He crosses his arms.
ZAJA
...and command their fealty by demanding that--
HARPER
Jesus Christ. You made your point. We get it.
ZAJA glances at her aunt. Worried.
HARPER
(to ZAJA)
It's all very impressive.
She then turns to her kids
HARPER
All of you.
BEN and ZAJA high five.
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My verdict of the film: 9/10
Link to the timestamp commentary: TBA (I’m hoping one exists)
