In The Peanut Butter Falcon dreams really can come true, or at least Zak believes they can, but not if he’s stuck in a care-home instead of being in the wrestling arena. Hoping to be transformed into one of his heroes and not seen as a young man defined by his Down syndrome. Zak escapes the care-home he’s been wrongly placed in, and through a series of adventures tries to reclaim a youth that’s been literally barred from him.
Escaping in his tighty-whities Zak has no plan and only a birthday wish to get to the wrestler Salt Water Redneck and his training camp for wrestlers – having seen it advertised on his overplayed VHS. Unsure how to get there, cold, and tired he falls asleep on a run-down boat of a run-down person – Tyler. His own life verging on the illegal as he acts out against those around him; forming dangerous enemies that leave Tyler no choice but to go on the run, and in this he teams up with Zak (Zack Gottsagen). Poor, jobless and aimless Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) has nothing but the grief of losing his brother, but in teaming up with Zak they might just provide each other with what they’ve been missing – family and friendship.
Signature Entertainment. Credit: Nigel Bluck. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Armory Films.
The Peanut Butter Falcon gives a knowing nod to its inspirations from Mark Twain, even going so far as mentioning him, whilst the protagonists also seek an escape from society, to finding fun in their new-found freedom. A dry comedy, The Peanut Butter Falcon focuses on dreams, and on the setting of a new path not typically found within contemporary life.
There’s a real beauty of nature to Tyler and Zak’s scenes, the directors/writers (Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz) making full use of the wildness of their adventure against a serene backdrop that removes angst, and calms their tale, even when there are very real dangers. A brief inclusion of aerial footage shows the distance the two characters have travelled (literally and symbolically) whilst highlighting the close connection between them. One that becomes stronger over time, and although they’re both on the run for very different reasons, they do so with the hope of a better life.
All the while however, the film reminds us that our unlikely duo are being hunted down, both by the bad-guys Tyler has aggravated, and separately by Eleanor (Dakota Johnson); Zak’s carer who only wants him to be safe and to have a good life. But in Eleanor’s journey she comes to have her own preconceptions challenged on what’s right for him, and what he’s capable of doing. As she comes to realise her prejudices, we as the audience become aware of our own; questioning whether Tyler’s harsh treatment of Zak might in fact be an effort to treat him with dignity, and not like a child.
Signature Entertainment. Credit: Nigel Bluck. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Armory Films.
Not so much a plot-hole to the movie, as a bad joke (if it is), is when Tyler -upon first meeting Zak – asks if he has anything on him; water? money? And yet he met him walking around wearing nothing but his white underpants. It’s an annoying question, and if it’s meant to reiterate that he has nothing, the point was already made when Zak escaped wearing just this. However, with a fantastic performance by Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf this really is the smallest of grumbles, their acting far outweighing any snagging points in the film. For the two create a real sense of brotherly friendship, and it’s gorgeous to watch. What makes the performances even more astounding is that it’s Gottsagen’s first major lead role in a movie, though I expect there’ll be many more to follow.
Adding to this impressiveness is that it’s also Nilson’s and Schwatz’s first feature-length directorial debut and it’s a multi-award winning one at that (21 wins at the time of writing). In fact they wrote the story after meeting Gottsagen and being inspired by him and his determination to reach his dreams.
Eye-opening, The Peanut Butter Falcon (though far-fetched at times) is good in its intentions and avoids being preachy by allowing the audience time to look at their own acts and thoughts as the film progresses. It does however try to push the family point a little too much, with Eleanor and Tyler (the “guardians” of Zak) coming together in their flirtatiousness. This seems odd and the chemistry isn’t quite there, possibly because it’s hurried and with no real time to build. Still, it’s innocently sweet, as is the film. A stronger effect however, of family and friends – and which is ironically conveyed more delicately – is the writing of ‘family first’ on the stock of Tyler’s gun. It’s imagery giving a sense of Tyler merging the memories and love of his dead brother (whose gun it was), with the new ones he makes with Zak, and it’s genuinely touching. As their journey progresses, Tyler becomes increasingly impressed by Zak, realising he might be the braver of the two – his outlook on life inspiring him to change his own.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is a simple movie, it’s not full of substance but full of heart. Some creative liberties are taken, and be prepared for a splurge of disbelief at the end, but it will still make you laugh out loud, a lot.
Directors & Writers: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
