Review: The Peanut Butter Falcon

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

PLOT: A young man with down syndrome (Zack Gottsagen) runs away from the retirement home he’s been forced to live in to pursue his dream of becoming a wrestler. He soon falls in with Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a fisherman on the run from some local roughnecks, while being pursued by a kind counselor (Dakota Johnson) who thinks she knows what’s best for him.

REVIEW: THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON is a big step forward for representation in Hollywood. It’s pretty rare to have a major, mainstream piece of work feature an actor with Down Syndrome in the lead (the last one I can think of was the TV show “Life Goes On” from the early nineties), that also resists any attempts at being maudlin or syrupy. Rather, THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON, despite its good heart, is an edgy road flick that celebrates its hero while remaining realistic about his challenges, and for the most part, rarely hits a false note.

It’s aided by a charismatic if typically off-kilter performance from Shia LaBeouf– a love him or hate him proposition for many moviegoers. At this point, it’s safe to say he’s left his Hollywood leading man days far behind him with his increasingly eccentric choices. However, in recent years his work has consistently been pretty high level, and this is one of the more accessible films he’s done in a while. Tyler emerges as a well-rounded rebel, whose massively self-destructive impulses, following a tragedy involving his brother (Jon Bernthal in a cameo), distract from the fact that for all his rage he’s got a good heart.

LaBeouf’s chemistry with Gottsagen is terrific and never cutesy. LaBeouf’s Tyler refuses to baby him but rather challenges him in ways that build up his self-esteem. One noteworthy moment is when Gottsagen tells him he’s studying to be a bad guy in wrestling, as someone like him could never be a hero – with LaBeouf countering that his limitations have nothing to do with his heart. Gottsagen, despite the challenges that afflict him both on-screen and off, gives a legitimately moving performance. He’s utterly real, but also has an easy smile and sense of humor that keeps him from ever being a character we’re supposed to pity.

Dakota Johnson also has a good part as a counselor at the retirement home he’s found himself in – one who, despite her good intentions, isn’t qualified to deal with such a young resident. The point is made that, at twenty-two, Gottsagen’s character is way too young and energetic to be placed into that type of home, but to the system he’s just a number – not much more. He has no money and no family, so he’s essentially locked away in this home and forgotten about. Johnson evokes real kindness in the role, even if it’s obvious she’s making some mistakes in the way she handles him with kid gloves. The only part that stretches credibility a bit is the modest bit of romance that springs up between her and LaBeouf, which feels a little tacked-on.

Bruce Dern also has a small, juicy part as the retirement home rascal who helps him escape, while Thomas Haden Church steals scenes in an impressively layered turn as former wrestling star, The Salt Water Redneck. This could have been a one-note joke role, but Church gives him a real sense of humanity (also WWF fans should keep their eyes peeled for Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Mick Foley in small, well-acted turns as Church’s wrestling buds).

THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON probably won’t get a huge theatrical release, but it’s a charming, low-key indie that’s one of the more accessible ones hitting theaters over the next few weeks. It’s even – dare I say it – family-friendly, so if you want to take your kids to a movie with some legitimately wholesome values, this is one of the better options out there if you don’t mind a little salty language and the fact that it’s got a bit of an edge to it. It’s a nice little film.

The Peanut Butter Falcon

GREAT

8

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