How is this for art imitating life: co-directors and co-writers of “The Peanut Butter Falcon” Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz have been friends with lead actor Zack Gottsagen for over eight years. Having known each other from their school’s theater arts program, Zack simply asked his friends why they didn’t just make their own movie instead of waiting on other projects to come to them, so they ran with the idea.
Gottsagen plays Zak, a young man with Down’s Syndrome who has become a ward of the state, whose only option is to place him in a nursing home. Zak doesn’t want to be in the nursing home, so he goes on the run to live his dream at the wrestling school of The Salt-Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). Along the way, he meets Tyler (Shia LeBeouf), down on his luck and dealing with a personal tragedy of his own while being pursued by Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), Zak’s caseworker who is trying to locate him and keep him from being put in a worse situation in what can be seen as a modern day Tom Sawyer tale.
This film is the kind that we need in the world today: a well-written tale of human development through friendship with a cast delivers with all the feels enhanced by cinematography that keeps with the feel of its environment and even has some National Geographic feeling moments. I am so glad I took the time to see this film, so find a showing, find the time, go see this film. And Zack: YOU ARE A MOVIE STAR!!!!!!