The Peanut Butter Falcon

“The Peanut Butter Falcon follows Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome who runs away from a residential nursing home to fulfill his dream of attending the pro wrestling school of his idol, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). On the road, Zak meets Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a small-time outlaw who becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally. Together, they set out on a wild, life-changing journey and try to convince Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a kind nursing-home employee charged with bringing Zak back, to join them.”

The Peanut Butter Falcon has a story behind the making of the film almost as touching as the film itself. When the writers/directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz were working with people with disabilities and asked Zack Gottsagen what he most wanted to do with his life, he replied he wanted to be an actor. As they tried to explain to him that there are unfortunately not many roles written for people with Down syndrome, they decided to write a movie just for him, and thus The Peanut Butter Falcon found its backing and brought a touching story not only of Zack’s personal journey toward his dream, but one that anyone who may not fit the mold of the expected can relate to.

The story itself is a fairly predictable, paint-by-numbers adventure, but still manages to tug at the heart strings through its depiction of the relationship between Tyler and Zak. Zak is dealt a pretty bad hand in life, it’s not said if he was simply abandoned by his family or simply didn’t have the needs to care for him, but at 22 years old, he’s condemned to live in a retirement home as a ward of the state. Feeling like a prisoner with grand ambitions in the outside world, he finally manages to escape the confines of the retirement home but isn’t quite ready to handle the open world by himself. Tyler’s story does have a little more to it, mostly told in flashbacks of happier times with him and his older brother Mark (Jon Bernthal) whom he idolized. Guilt ridden and lost after his death, Tyler drifts along with no purpose, getting into trouble with local bad guy Duncan (John Hawkes). After Tyler and Zak meet, they form an unbreakable bond over the course of their journey, with Tyler feeling that brotherly connection he’s been longing for, able to impart some of the wisdom that his older brother gave to him. Eleanor isn’t quite as flushed out either, as it does seem a bit of a stretch that she would have an interest in Tyler based on their first encounter. Regardless, her care and devotion for Zak is heartwarming, giving her all the shared connection she needs with Tyler.

Zack Gottsagen is what makes this film. His innocence and his ability to adapt to each scene provides the heart of the film. It’s fantastic that his dream has come to fruition thanks to the love and support of those wanting to see him succeed. Shia LeBeouf fell from grace awhile back, but personal life aside, he’s come a long way from Even Stevens, even Transformers. He throws himself into the role and does a fantastic job. Whoever casted Jon Bernthal as his older brother needs some kind of award, as the two played so well off of each other in the short sequences we were able to see, which is the brilliant thing about it. We don’t even hear dialogue between the brothers, just silent flashbacks of different times they shared, up until the cause of his death. Still, their relationship was clear as day by their shared mannerisms. The supporting cast is absolutely fantastic: John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Thomas Haden Church, even getting wrestling veterans Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts and Mick Foley to give great performances.

The only shortcoming I’d say about the film is the antagonists, Duncan and Ratboy. The conflict between them and Tyler seems rather one dimensional with not much depth to it, only serving to keep Tyler moving and have something to be redeemed for in the eyes of Zak and Eleanor. It’s a missed opportunity for some great story and acting. Despite this, there are other obstacles and conflicts for Tyler and Zak to overcome on their journey to the wrestling school.

Video

The Peanut Butter Falcon is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. The transfer looks good, very detailed with a soft, almost muted color palate that works perfectly with the tone of the film as well as the setting, the Outer Banks. It’s almost as if this area was stuck in time, with old, run down shops, cars, and people, and the look of the film entirely reflects this.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The track sounds great, with clear dialogue from the center channel, with the surrounds not utilized all that much except for subtle atmospheric effects of the wilderness and water settings. One of the best parts of the film is the score, with a lot of folksy type songs that fit the film and tone absolutely perfectly.

Special Features

Very short list of extras, but the featurette is almost as moving as the film is, telling the story of how the film came to be.

• Zack’s Story: The Making of The Peanut Butter Falcon
• Photo Gallery
• Theatrical Trailer

The Peanut Butter Falcon is such an inspiring tale, a simple, yet poignant story that holds a lot of meaning in such a short amount of time. It shows that no matter who you are or the limitations people hold you to, anyone can be a hero.