Review: The Peanut Butter Falcon

A film with a title like this certainly can't be ignored. But it was the buzz coming from the festivals that was gaining my interest in checking this out.

The feeling I got after seeing this, is the type reminds me why I love films. This film totally caught me off guard. It's is a wonderful American road indie flick that had me having a cheesy grin for pretty much the entire duration.
It manages to create that feel-good vibe from very early on and you just enjoy the ride till the very end.

The performances are very good on the whole. But there are two exceptions to this that go beyond that. Making his feature film debut, Zack Gottsagen gives a great performance. He was instantly likable, honest, very charming, got a lot of laughs out of me and he made his character very easy to root for. I don't think I've seen an actor with downs syndrome be given such a big role in any film. So for that reason, this needs to be seen as Gottsagen should be a pioneer for actors everywhere.
As for Shia Labeouf, I don't think I've seen him give a better performance. He gives wonderful support for Gottsagen's character and the strength of their chemistry and development makes this film a total joy to watch.
Dakota Johnson continues to excel in her performances post-Fify Shades with another memorable outing and completed the perfect trio to carry this film.

What I loved about this story is that it treated the topic of downs syndrome with respect. Everything about it felt believable and Gottsagen's character development as well as the script overall is the reason why.
Also, the camerawork is great and showcases the North Carolina swampy landscape so much that you actually can feel the environment the characters are living in.

A lot of the films style and tone reminded me of another indie flick back in 2012 called 'Mud'. If you've seen that and liked it, then this is a wonderful companion piece.

This was a real nice surprise in so many ways. I was not expecting this to be so joyful, inspiring and cover particular topics that were executed in the best way possible. It's a great film to watch that helps inspire you to really go for dreams, even when you just feel they're a fantasy. Definitely one of the big surprises of 2019.

Rating: 8/10