After seeing the trailer for “The Peanut Butter Falcon”, I knew I really wanted to see it but I just never got around to seeing it in the theaters. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the time to see every movie in the theaters considering I work full time. When the film got released to DVD and Blu-ray, I knew I would end up picking it up and I did just that. So after a long wait, I am finally able to review this film. Hold your applause please.
The film tells the story of Zak, a young man with Down syndrome who longs to become a professional wrestler like his hero the Salt Water Redneck. Watching old VHS tapes of the Salt Water Redneck, he dreams of attending his wrestling school. Unfortunately for Zak, he is living in a nursing home under the supervision of Eleanor. Zak escapes the nursing home with some assistance from his fellow resistances. On the run, he meets up with small town crook Tyler and the pair set off on an adventure together before eventually forming a bond along the way.
This film feels very much like a retelling of “Huckleberry Finn” (deliberately so by the filmmakers in fact) which is sort of refreshing in this day and age. As much as I love big blockbusters, it is nice to see small and personal films every now and then, especially a film like this. This film was made with love and it shows.
The film stars Zack Gottsagen as Zak and he is very much the heart and soul of the movie. The filmmakers Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz cast Zack in the lead role after meeting with him at an actors bootcamp and becoming inspired by him. The filmmakers were actually offered money not to hire Gottsagen, but they stood by their choice and it paid off beautifully.
Shia LaBeouf also stars as the troubled Tyler. LaBeouf is excellent in the film and this film stands as a testament to how great he can be. LaBeouf actually got into legal trouble due to his drinking problems during the production of this film and in a case of real life mirroring film, it was the friendship he formed with Gottsagen that helped straighten the actor out. Dakota Johnson also shined as Eleanor and proved she has more to offer than the “50 Shades” franchise. I should also point out that Bruce Dern was a real standout despite a short appearance.
If I had any criticism of this film, it would just be that some of the relationships depicted in the film seemed a bit rushed and because of this, I didn’t feel they felt as organic as perhaps they could have felt. That being said, the performances of the three leads helped gloss over that some.
On a side note, as a WWE fan, it was sort of cool seeing a film depicting wrestling as one of it’s main story elements. The fact that Mick Foley and Jake “The Snake” Roberts also make appearances in the film just makes it that much better.
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” almost feels like a throwback film these days. It’s personal and heartfelt and the performances really help make the film feel special. If you are a Mark Twain fan (or WWE fan for that matter), “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a must.
Grade: B+
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