The Peanut Butter Falcon

Available for rent on most video on-demand services.

There was a lot of buzz around this film last year and it featured on many people’s favourite films of 2019. While it wasn’t amongst the very best films of the last year for me you can see its appeal as it oozes with charming story telling.

Built around two well judged performances from Shia Lebeouf (Tyler) and newcomer Zach Gottsagen (Zak) it tells the story of Zak, a downs syndrome adult and Tyler a down on his luck drifter carrying the guilt of the loss of his brother. The two men meet while both on the run, Zak from a care home, Tyler from a feud of his own making.

The cornerstone of the story is the pursuit of Zak’s dream to visit Salt Water Redkneck’s wrestling camp so he can become a pro wrestler.

What unfolds is a charming road movie, there isn’t much original going on but it doesn’t matter as you enjoy the time in the company of Tyler, Zak and later Dakota Johnson’s Eleanor as they take a slow and gentle trip through North Carolina to reach the wrestling camp.

We come across all of the usual tropes you see in a road movie, occasional peril, a selection of interesting characters some to help some to hinder all delivered with wit, charm and beautifully paced.

Its real heart is the relationship between Zak and Tyler two men seen as both having limited potential and worth by those around them, but together they see the good they both possess and that good is what drives them on but also drives those around them to be better.

While it is a little formulaic The Peanut Butter Falcon is a gorgeous story, beautifully paced and told with subtle well judged performances across the piece and in times were we all occasionally need something that shows the best of people, you’ll find that here in abundance.