"The Peanut Butter Falcon"

 2019 * PG-13 * 1h 37m  I saw this film a couple years ago and just loved it. The oddball title intrigued me, and sure enough, it lived up to its quirky name. I thought I’d give it another watch before reviewing it, and it was just as delightful the second time around. It’s described as a modern-day take on the “Huckleberry Finn” story, and I think that’s an apt description. But it’s a whole lot more. I remember reading Mark Twain’s classic novel as a kid and wanting to run away from home and travel by raft through the Great Lakes.  Watching The Peanut Butter Falcon may have the same effect on you. 

 We first meet Zak (Zach Gottsagen), a Downs syndrome patient who’s been placed in a nursing home. While dining in the facility’s lunchroom, he surreptitiously slips the older woman across from him a note, telling her to fake choking to create a diversion so he can escape. Well, he’s immediately caught and when he returns to his room, there are now bars on the window. Not five minutes into the film, I knew I was in for something special. 

 

Zach’s roommate is Carl (Bruce Dern), who’s in cahoots with him. He helps Zak flee and the adventure begins. We then meet Tyler (Shia Labeouf), in one of his finest performances to date.  Tyler is a down on his luck fisherman who gets into a bit of trouble. After committing arson, he’s on the lam. As luck would have it, he and Zak run into each other. Not only do the two of them become partners in crime, they quickly form a close friendship. I have to say, these two are so convincing, I quickly forgot they were acting and just being themselves. Tyler sort of becomes a big brother to Zak.

 

The duo builds a raft and continues on their way to freedom. Tyler’s dream is to settle down and buy a charter fishing boat while Zak fanaticizes attending wrestling school with the “Salt Water Redneck” and become a big time wrestling champion. Behind the scenes, they’re being pursued by a couple of fishermen whose traps Tyler has destroyed. And Zak is being tracked down by Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a sweet, good-hearted nurse from his nursing home. To add to the story, the two of them meet a number of characters along the way. And they spend a lot of time talking about life and their futures. 

 

The Peanut Butter Falcon is one of the most delightful movies I’ve seen in quite a while. Just about everything about it is perfect—beautiful scenery in the Outer Banks, excellent acting, a charming story, and noteworthy cinematography. There are also quite a few laugh out loud moments, and several tender scenes as well. The only criticism I have is that I felt the ending was a bit abrupt. Especially considering the rest of the movie had such a subtle, gentle pacing to it. But if that’s the only negative, that’s still pretty good! 

 

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the story behind how the movie came to be—it’s absolutely magical. Apparently the directors met Zach Gottsagen at a camp for disabled people and he told them he wanted to star in a movie. They were so taken with him; they ended up writing a movie around him and his dreams and aspirations. Thus, The Peanut Butter Falcon was born. How great is that? 

 

Ah, and where does the title come from? You’ll just have to watch this little gem and find out for yourself.

5 stars! 

 

Currently streaming for free on IMDB TV and on Prime Video