Review: “The Peanut Butter Falcon” Shows A Heartwarming Story
If you’ve been hit with the shockingly terrorizing and dark “Joker” film, then this one might be the best to calm your tense nerves. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a drama movie directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. Despite its independent distributor and low budget setting, this film managed to get Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson on board. The film centers around the story of a 22-year-old boy named Zak who had down syndrome. He was abandoned by his family and had to live in a nursing home along with many senior citizens. He attempted to run away twice which made Eleanor, a social worker who worked there had her hands full of him. On his second attempt to flee, he failed again but with the help of his roommate, he managed to escape. His motive to leave the nursing home was to enroll in a wrestler academy run by a veteran wrestler who went by the name Saltwater Redneck.
In another plot, Tyler, a local fisherman had a hard time to cope with the grief of losing his brother and best friend. Tyler who wasn’t as capable as his brother struggled to fill in his shoes and found a corrupt way to fish by sabotaging other fishermen’s harvest. Getting caught stealing other fishermen’s pods, Tyler ran away with his boat without knowing that Zak slept under the tarp. The two found similarities in an odd situation that showcased the best and worst side of humanity at once.
The film which premiered on South by South West (SXSW) earlier this year introduced us to the amazing Zack Gottsagen, an actor who actually has down syndrome. His charming acting and appearance melted our hearts in the best way possible. This story reminded us of Mark Twain’s popular tale, “Huckleberry Finn” with a modern twist and a more complex backstory. There might be several missing parts that didn’t add up to the main narrative, however, if you put that aside, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” is a great watch for all ages. It shows you that a person’s value isn’t always determined by the outer appearance. Go watch it if it is still available in cinemas near you!
Reviewer: Novita Widia
