The peanutbutter falcon is a buddy movie, a romance, a road movie and lovely tale with laughter and joy. There are bits of tall tales, like "Big Fish" and some Huckelberry Finn, and touch of any movie set in the south. The characters are all working people in the bayu who fish and trap crabs or net shrimp for a living, and the they are people we all know. Even the "bad Guys" are defending their way of life and the income for thier families. These are people who don't have much. Zak (Zack Gottsagen) most of all does not have much. His Down syndrome has left him without his family, and he is a ward of a retirement home where his roomate Carl (Bruce Dern) a retired engineer, helps him escape, ans our adventure begins.
Along the way Zak meets Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) as his friend and caretaker Eleanor (Dakota Johnson) searches for him. Each character has issues that they are dealing with, and are motivated differently, but Zak is a binding influence as they each resolve.
Zack Gottsagen who portrays Zak, is a down syndrome individual, and if you have ever had the luck to know someone similar, you will appreciate how well this story is told. Zack has to carry many scenes and his acting is on point. Shia LaBeouf has never had a better role, or acted it so well, I hope he gets recognized for his work here. The casting we was really well done, the only character I felt didn't feel natural was Jake "the Snake" Roberts, who perhaps by virtue of editing or maybe he just didn't quite fit the role, was stiff and his acting was below the standard set by the rest of the film. The story and cinemetography are exelent in a palce of amazing beauty. I enjoyed this movie thouroughly..
Starring
Shia LaBeouf
Zack Gottsagen
Dakota Johnson
John Hawkes
Bruce Dern
Jon Bernthal
Jake "the snake" Roberts
Thomas Haden Church
Directed & Written
Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz