Film Review: The Peanut Butter Falcon

Midway through Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz’s The Peanut Butter Falcon, we see a young man gleefully dancing around a bonfire wearing nothing but dirty white briefs, with branches strapped to his back like wings and peanut butter smeared across his face like war paint.

This picture of wild, unrestrained joy is Zak, the titular hero of this Mark Twain-inspired adventure tale. A restless and spirited guy with Down syndrome who’s kept cooped up in a nursery home, Zak (played by the enchanting Zack Gottsagen) escapes one night, sights set on attending the wrestling school of his idol, the Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). After stumbling across Tyler (a delightfully scruffy Shia LaBeouf), a fisherman on the run from his own problems, the two fellas embark on a daring, escapade-filled journey together.

At its core, the film is a story of friendship, and its strongest moments come when Zak and Tyler’s organic and endearing connection takes center stage. As they trek through muddy rivers and overgrown swampland, we see their relationship evolve from one rooted in happenstance to genuine affection.

Sweet and touching from the beginning, this is a movie destined to send you off with a happy ending and a warm feeling, and it does not disappoint in that regard. Plot points disappear and reappear, and big emotional beats – in need of more time to breathe – don’t always hit, but this unlikely duo’s brotherly bond more than makes up for it.

Unlike most, Tyler feels no patronizing need to protect Zak, who’s completely capable yet often denied any fun or freedom. It’s an attitude the filmmakers hope will be carried outside the theater: that no one should be underestimated or restricted. Everyone deserves a chance to be their own Peanut Butter Falcon, whatever that may be.

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The Peanut Butter Falcon

Narrative Spotlight, World Premiere

Tuesday, March 12, 4:45pm, Alamo South Lamar D
Wednesday, March 13, 5:15pm, Stateside