Film Review: The Peanut Butter Falcon

Sexuality/Nudity Acceptable
Violence Acceptable 
Vulgarity Mature
Anti-Catholic Philosophy Acceptable


I will say that the biggest shock for me coming out of the theater was this: Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson are actually good actors.

The Peanut Butter Falcon centers around a young man named Zak (Zack Gottsagen) who has Down's Syndrome and is living as a ward of the state in a nursing home for the elderly.  He wants to go off on his own, but he has been judged incompetent to care for himself.  His case worker Eleanor (Johnson), cares for him, but treats him as a child.  But what Zak really wants to do is escape and go the a professional wrestling school run by his hero, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church).  Zak escapes and finds himself hooked up with Tyler (LaBeouf), who is run afoul of the law and some violent people after burning their fishing equipment.  Tyler is trying to make his way down to Florida from the Outer Banks.  He agrees to let Zak accompany him until they reach the wrestling school which is along the same path.  During that time Tyler and Zak strike up a touching and unlikely friendship, while Eleanor searches up and down the coast looking for her wayward ward.

This movie is incredibly sweet without being overly sentimental.  Tyler is foul-mouthed and crusty, but he is not cruel.  He talks to Zak like an adult and not like a child.  At one point Zak tells Tyler that he has Down's Syndrome.  Tyler's response is "I don't give a $#!*"  This statement is not an insult.  Instead, it's Tyler's way of saying to Zak that he sees him as a man, not defined by his disability.  Their brotherly bond is strange, but believable.

Along the way, they encounter incredibly colorful characters, especially in the poorer regions along the water.  Normally I find these moments cliche or condescending.  But writers/directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz never take away the character's dignity.  They may speak with unsophisticated accents or live in run down trailers, but they are never flat caricatures.  Always he lets you see their deep humanity.  This is especially true in Tyler, who becomes increasingly more mature as the film progresses.  There is a scene where meets The Salt Water Redneck and he is not what they are expecting.  I won't ruin the moment, but in most movies, Tyler would lay down guilt or judgment The Salt Water Redneck for not being what the characters were hoping.  Instead, Tyler simply states what he has to do now and he apologizes to The Salt Water Redneck for bothering him with their problems.  It is a moment both stoic and heartbreaking.

And La Beouf carries all of that to perfection.  There is not a single false note in his performance.  I still cannot believe this is the same person who stuttered their way through the Transformer movies.  He is masculine, caring, arrogant, and unsure all at the same time.  His chemistry with Gottsagen is great.  He never feels like he is pandering.  Gottsagen himself is very good.  There is a moment early on in the film where you can see that he knows how to layer his emotions to get what he wants.  Johnson conveys poise, concern, and dignity.  She lets us see her character's slow evolution from seeing Zak as patient or problem into seeing him as a fully-fleshed out person.  There are also some wonderful brief cameos from actors like Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal and wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

The directors do a good job of showing us the intense poverty of this area of the country but also at the same time showing us its beauty.  There is something almost magical about the water and the way that it is shot.  Seeing Zak, Tyler, and Eleanor all riding on their raft down river, you couldn't help but think of Huck Finn.  This is not an original insight, nor is it one that the film makers makes subtle.  It is clear they are trying to capture that spirit of rebellion and adventure in the Twain story.  And this movie is all about the journey.  What happens when they get to where they want to be?  Who knows.  The way you get there and who you get there with is what matters.

I was struck so completely by the Catholic principle of human dignity.  Eleanor cares for Zak, but she doesn't treat him with the dignity that he desires or deserves.  His dream of being a professional wrestler may seem silly to some.  But if we respect his choices as a man, then that means helping him follow through on his goals.  

The only thing holding this movie back is that it feels like they didn't go deep enough.  They hint at Eleanor's incredibly interesting backstory, but they never go very far.  It feels like the journey was just beginning when it came to an end.  Something about it felt just a little too condensed and therefore just a little stilted.

But other than that, the movie was an enjoyable and moving time in the theater.