Directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottagen
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language throughout, some violence and smoking
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a comedy-drama starring Shia LeBeouf and Zack Gottagen as two young men running away from their problems to find comfort in another place. LeBeouf plays Tyler, a young fisher, who is still haunted of the memory of his brother passing away, running away to Florida. Gottagen plays Zak, a young man with down syndrome who is escaping his home in a retirement home to chase his dream of becoming a wrestler. All this while two men and Zak’s friend, Eleanor, tries to find the pair.
The best way to describe to this film is sweet and heartwarming. The main leads of LeBeouf and Gottagen have incredible chemistry, I am almost certain that the pair are friends in real life. Gottagen plays Zak as a wonderful character who is destined to go to the wrestling school in a video he has watched so many times. Zak realizes he is young and full of energy and won’t let down syndrome get in the way of that. I certainly appreciate the type of character Zak is, every moment he graces the screen, it was a pleasure to watch.
On the other hand, LeBeouf’s Tyler is a man who is running away from his problems and wants to start anew in Florida. Tyler had just recently been laid off from work and the memory of his brother dying is still fresh in his mind. But when Tyler meets Zak, he is almost reminded of his brother and almost sees Zak as a brother. It is the smart writing that creates this incredible chemistry between the pair. Not once when I was watching this film did I feel like I saw two actors on screen play characters. I saw two friends who were on an adventure.
Coming into this film, I did not know what to expect. I read great reviews of the film, but that does not mean that I will enjoy the film as well. But when I left the theater, I was surprised how much enjoyment I had. For most films, there is a section where things begin to slow down and pacing falls flat. I never got bored or felt that things were slowing down. Each scene of the film was well paced and very humorous, when it needed to be.
The rest of the cast are top notch. Dakota Johnson, who plays Zak’s caretaker, plays her role very well. Every moment she is on screen, especially the last act, she has fun with the role. She was a joy to watch and this role proves that Johnson is capable of acting. John Hawkes is also in the film but his role is very limited. I was surprised to see Bruce Dern and Thomas Haden Church in the film as well. Both actors play their respective roles with much charm, both actors have great scenes with Gottsagen. In addition to the great cast, there is a fun little cameo that most wrestling fans will admire. But in short, there is not a false note in the cast.
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” was a shock to me. I did not realize how much I would have fun I would have with this film. It’s a shame that this film will not reach the masses but it certainty deserves to be viewed. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a humorous and touching film with exceptional casting, that certainly deserves to be viewed.
4/4
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