“The Peanut Butter Falcon” follows the fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) on his journey of self-discovery as he befriends Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome with dreams of being a wrestler. Zak is on the run after leaving his assisted living facility, and Tyler helps him achieve his ambitions, which leads to a strong friendship. Their journey together becomes increasingly perilous as Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), Zak’s caretaker, tracks them down.
In addition to LaBeouf, Gottsagen, and Johnson, the film features Bruce Dern, Thomas Haden Church, and Jon Bernthal in pivotal roles. The critically acclaimed picture was written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. Overall, “Peanut Butter Falcon” is a pleasant feel-good comedy-drama that highlights representation. In terms of LaBeouf’s filmography, the film is nothing short of astounding and moving, proving the actor is capable of tackling a variety of roles.
For LaBeouf, working with Gottsagen allowed him to appreciate filmmaking once again. “The kid in me died and I just got over all this. This rollercoaster wasn’t fun after a while. You ride the same rollercoaster, it just loses its appeal. Then, you go on it with someone who hasn’t been on it before and somehow, it sparks back up,” he told Channel 4. Many might question whatever happened to LaBeouf, but the actor has been strategically shedding away his blockbuster leading man image to focus on smaller, more emotionally-charged indie fare.
