Charming indie film opening at city theatre
We are extremely proud this week to present a wonderful independent film, full of charm, heart and soul. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” stars the long-absent Shia LeBeouf, together with Dakota Johnson and Zach Gottsagen (a young man with Down Syndrome, making his theatrical acting debut). It follows the life of Zak as he escapes from a ✦nursing
home to follow his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. This film is rated PG with a coarse language warning. It is just 97 minutes long and will play daily (starting Friday) at 1:05, 4:10, 6:55 and 9:35 p.m.
“A modern Mark Twain style adventure story, ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’ tells the story of Zak (Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, who runs away from a residential nursing home to follow his dream of attending the professional wrestling school of his idol, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). A strange turn of events pairs him on the road with Tyler (LaBeouf ), a small-time outlaw on the run, who becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally. Together they wind through deltas, elude capture, drink whiskey, find God, catch fish, and convince Eleanor (Johnson), a kind nursing home employee charged with Zak’s return, to join them on their journey.” — Roadside Attractions.
I had high hopes and expectations for this movie, based on all the materials I had consumed regarding it. The movie starts and immediately you are in awe of the two main characters — Zak and Tyler. It was evident that Shia truly loved being beside and with his amazing costar, a young man who happens to have Down syndrome (Gottsagen). This is the type of movie that will make your heart happy. The one thing that I hope is that people will be able to take in context the use of the dreaded “R” word — it certainly made me cringe hearing that word tossed out by a child near the beginning, but Zak’s response was legendary! I feel this film did a great job of shedding light on people who might have differences and the struggles that they go through.
The acting from all three lead characters was surprisingly good — such chemistry. The screenplay was entertaining to follow, and the cinematography and visuals of the South were stunning. It would be difficult to not fall in love with these characters. While the story might be a bit unbelievable, along with an abrupt ending, it was both funny and charming. It is one of those movies that people should see. It’s so refreshing to experience such a wonderful tale of friendship on the big screen.
“Friends are the family you choose” is a line from the movie. This headline sums up the heart of this film. It made me laugh and brought tears of joy to my eyes. There were so many moments of human connection and undeniable humour in this film, you completely forget you’re in a theatre! Do yourself a favour and go see this! You will not be disappointed, and you might leave the theatre happier than when you came. I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone who has any heart.
See you at the movie theatre!