[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”29485″ img_size=”700×300″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Synopsis:
After running away from a residential nursing home to pursue his dream of becoming a pro wrestler, a man who has Down syndrome befriends an outlaw who becomes his coach and ally.
Sometimes, you need to stumble across a movie that leaves you feeling inspired to be a better version of yourself. A movie that leaves you with a cheesy smile on your face because of how genuinely sweet it is. A movie that makes you forget about current issues going on in our world and renew your faith in humanity. I am here to tell you that The Peanut Butter Falcon is that movie.
In this “Huckleberry Finn” inspired adventure, we meet Zak who is a 22-year-old with Down Syndrome and lives in a retirement home in North Carolina because he does not have a family who takes care of him and it is the only facility who would take in someone with special needs. It feels like a prison to him more than anything else. His elderly roommate, Carl, and his caregiver, Eleanor, are the only ones who treat him like an actual human being. Driven to follow his dreams of becoming a pro wrestler, he escapes from the nursing home to meet his hero, Salt Water Redneck. Meanwhile, we also meet Tyler who is a fisherman with a troubled past and steals from other local fishermen. An altercation occurs that also results in Tyler running away from his problems. In a turn of events, Zak and Tyler meet and form an unlikely friendship where they learn more about themselves than ever before. Along with the effective use of plot tension and beautiful cinematography, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a good time to be had.
Tyler is played by Shia LaBeouf and this is some of his best work I believe we have seen from him. During the movie, we learn more about Tyler’s tragic past and we feel every ounce of remorse he is going through. Because of this, Tyler comes off as harsh and irritable and originally does not get along with Zak’s more light-hearted personality. As the plot progresses, however, we see Tyler’s character arc begin to take form as he develops a soft spot for his new friend and we as the audience thrive as we watch him transform into a completely different person. We are completely taken in by the way LaBeouf portrays this brother-like figure who wants the world to know that just because someone is different, it doesn’t make them any less capable to achieve their wildest dreams. It is absolutely heart-warming.
The real star of the movie, however, is Zak played by Zack Gottsagen who actually does have Down Syndrome in real life. His break-out performance in The Peanut Butter Falcon is nothing short of remarkable. If anyone watches him on screen without a beaming grin on their faces, I would start to question the validity of their humanity because he is quite honestly the heart and soul of the movie. Zak is a character you deeply care for and want the best for. He is someone you want to be friends with because of how cheerful he is. The chemistry between him and Tyler is unmatched and their relationship is one of my favorite mismatched friendships in cinema history. Also, I cannot emphasize how spot-on Gottsagen’s line deliveries and comedic timing was. He was no doubt the most entertaining part of this movie and the reason why audiences will enjoy themselves while watching it.
The biggest takeaway from The Peanut Butter Falcon is how both Gottsagen and his character as Zak were not treated any differently from anyone else just because he has Down Syndrome. The movie treated them with the utmost respect and dignity required just like any other actor in the cast and that to me is something incredible to witness. Unlike other movies this year where there were moments of pandering and laundering regarding various minority communities, we do not see that here. It could have been very easy for the directors to take this movie in a different direction that would have had a painfully obvious message, but they did not do that. The directors wanted us to see Gottsagen as the incredible actor he is and not for a second did I feel like they were patronizing his credibility. That is an important lesson for us to take with us in our everyday lives.
I had a few nitpicks about this movie but in the grand scheme of things, those minor details do not take anything away from the message The Peanut Butter Falcon is trying to convey. I hope that this movie inspires everyone to let go of fear and to never hold someone back from accomplishing big things because unless we do so, we can never know their true potential.
My score: ★★★★/5
The Peanut Butter Falcon is still playing in theaters.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
probably at the movies.
