The Peanut Butter Falcon Soars with a Big Heart and Big Dreams
3.5 out of 5 Stars
By Scott
The Peanut Butter Falcon is a 2019 American comedy-drama film directed and written by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz and starring Shia La Beouf, Dakota Johnson, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Zach Gottsagen, Jon Bernthal and Thomas Haden Church. It had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 9, 2019 and was theatrically released on August 9, 2019 by Roadside Attractions.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is an adventure story set in the world of Mark Twain that begins when Zak (Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, runs away from the nursing home where he lives to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler by attending the wrestling school, The Salt Water Redneck. Through circumstances beyond their control, Tyler (La Beouf), a small-time outlaw on the run, becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally. Together they wind through deltas, elude capture, drink whiskey, find God, catch fish and convince Eleanor, a kind nursing home employee with a story of her own, to join them on their journey.
When the film opens, we discover Zak, who lives in a nursing home in Richmond with an elderly roommate, ably played by veteran actor Bruce Dern. The chemistry between the two roommates creates one of my favorite scenes in this film. With the help of his roommate, Zak escapes to fulfill his dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. The performance by Zach Gottsagen, who makes his film debut, definitely makes this film worth watching. Gottsagen was discovered by filmmakers Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz at a camp for disabled artists and they crafted the story around him. Shia LaBeouf is very convincing as the small-time outlaw Tyler, who becomes Zak’s unlikely coach. The chemistry between Gottsagen and LaBeouf produces a heartfelt quality with good natured humor and a great rapport. In an interview with the three main actors in this film, Shia LaBeouf admitted to being a less selfish person and a better human being as a result of his relationship with Zack Gottsagen. Dakota Johnson, who plays her role well as the nursing home employee and joins them on this Huckleberry Finn journey, said there was genuine love among the three of them.
This film is in the tradition of Forrest Gump, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Rain Man. My favorite scene involves a revolver- waving blind man who insists on baptizing Zak before giving them the supplies needed to build a vessel that will take them on the rest of their journey. This film is loaded with fine actors such as John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal and Thomas Haden Church (Salt Water Redneck). The stunning cinematography by Nigel Black (True Detective) and the creative music by Zachary Dawes (True Detective) produce a backdrop of banjo twang to the vistas of bayous and woodlands in North Carolina and Georgia. The film falls short with content issues and this is why I gave this film 3.5 stars out of 5. Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz (directorial debut) fail to develop the story when it comes to the love relationship between Eleanor and Tyler, the character of Salt Water Redneck, the final wrestling scene and ending. Despite these gaps, the theme of family, love and self-discovery will leave you with a warm glow in your heart.