Fantasy Life (2026)

Name: Fantasy Life
Director: Matthew Shear
Genre: Drama
Released: 2026-03-27
Duration: 1 h 31 min
Rating: N/A
Cast: Matthew Shear, Amanda Peet, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch

Drama

Director: Matthew Shear

Cast: Matthew Shear, Amanda Peet, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch

N/A

Runtime91 min

RatingR

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After losing his job as a paralegal, Sam Stein suffers a panic attack and stumbles into a job babysitting his psychiatrist's three granddaughters. The girls' mother, Dianne, is an actor whose once-promising career has stalled; she's in a difficult marriage to David, a rock bassist. When David goes abroad on tour, Dianne and Sam discover an easy rapport as well as a shared history of mental illness. Sam joins Dianne's family to babysit for the summer on Martha's Vineyard, and he ends up in a house with the woman he pines for, her husband, the three kids, and all four grandparents, including his psychiatrist.

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Directed by Matthew Shear, Fantasy Life (2026) blends family drama and mental health themes in a refreshingly honest and heartfelt way. Featuring strong performances from the ensemble cast, including Amanda Peet and Alessandro Nivola, the film explores complex relationships and the shared experiences of those struggling with anxiety and depression.

About

Fantasy Life is a 2025 American comedy film, written and directed by Matthew Shear, in his directorial debut. It stars Amanda Peet, Shear, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Andrea Martin, Zosia Mamet, Jessica Harper, Holland Taylor and Sheng Wang.