The Peanut Butter Falcon

I was worried that after taking an intro to disabilities studies course my opinions regarding this film would alter. However, this remains one of my favorite movies.The film begins with one of the main characters Zak, a 22 year old with down syndrome, being held at a nursing home due to his family abandoning him. In the first scene, shows that this film will have a comedic sense that only helps to portray disability in a positive way. Zak tries to escape by plotting with one of the old ladies at the nursing home to pretend to choke while Zak makes a run for it. While Zak tries to escape, one of his caretakers Eleanor runs after him and sends him back. Due to his multiple attempts she is forced to label him as a “flight risk.” Zak tells Eleanor, who he regards as a friend, that he wants to leave in order to fulfill his dream of meeting his idol, a wrestling trainer, and becoming a wrestler. However, Eleanor sees him as someone who is incapable of surviving on his own as a result of his disability and refuses to let him leave considering the state will not permit it. Carl, an old man at the nursery helps him escape. As he adjusts to the feeling of freedom he runs into another main character, Tyler, who has his own set of problems to face. Tyler is a protagonist who ironically is in deep debt with man named Duncan and is struggling with the loss of his brother who he killed in a car accident. Nevertheless, Tyler has a good heart and after saving Zak from both bullying and drowning, he allows Zak to tag along with him on his journey. As they spend time together, Zak’s innocence and positivity enables them to become good friends. Tyler treats Zak as a friend rather than a liability and supports his dream of becoming a wrestler which later in the film he chooses the wrestling name “peanut butter falcon.” During this period, Eleanor is in search for Zak. When Eleanor catches up to Zak and Tyler, her initial goal is to bring Zak back to the nursing home. Albeit, she changes her mind when she gets a call from her boss about transferring Zak to a rehab facility and when she finally sees that Zak is more than capable of living his life. At the end of the film, Zak fulfills his dream as “the peanut butter falcon,” by being trained by his idol, beating a man in a ring using an impossible move called the “atomic throw,” and living a normal life with the family he formed with Tyler and Eleanor as they all have conquered their barriers. This film demonstrates a unique and interesting plot; it is successful in its integration of disability. To begin with, the actor who plays Zak truly is someone who has down syndrome which overall helps increase the inclusion of people with disabilities in film. In addition, the film portray disability in a positive way by depicting Zak as an intelligent, innocent, and lively person with dreams like everyone else. Through his character development in the film, the directors give Zak a voice and enable his story to broadcast multiple issues that people with disabilities face. The first issue is the way the government directs states to place people with disabilities who do not have a family in nursing homes. Instead of educating them on how to live their life as normal people, they place them with elderly people in nursing homes. Society treats people with disabilities as incapable of any sort of achievement. However, this film teaches otherwise both in the movie itself and through the actor Zack Gottsagen playing this character. Using the term “supercrip” as Eli Claire explains it in the book Exile and Pride, some people may argue that this film deserves a bad rating because it is a typical “supercrip” story; they may argue that this film is built on the idea that achievement challenges disability and that because Zak succeeded and contradicted his disability he is a hero. However, the film does something extremely important that saves it from making this mistake. The film centers all three zak, tyler, and Eleanor as main characters who are all hero’s because of one reason: they all have good hearts. It does not single out Zak as a hero for being able to do the “atomic throw” even though he is disable, he is able to do it because he believe in himself.There is one extremely important scene in the film where Zak speaks to Tyler about how he wants to be the “bad guy” because his family left him. Tyler explains to him that even good guys get left behind but it does not matter because they have a good heart. Tyler tells Zak that regardless of his coach at the nursing home calling him a “retard,” he is a good guy because he has a good heart, Zak can be a hero because of it. When Zak asks Tyler if he is a good guy, Tyler responds “I don’t know,” remembering how he killed his brother Marc in a car crash. The film is not only about Zak overcoming the societal barriers that prevent him from living his life, it is also about Tyler learning to open up to people again after the death of his brother, and about Eleanor learning that just because the state thinks Zak should be in a nursing home does not mean that he actually needs to be. Furthermore, the film broadcasts the use of “nice words” and “nasty words” as an American author, Simi Linton, puts it. Through the use of nice words, society is what creates a barrier for disabled people, not their disabilities. Like Simi Linton points out, going to barns and nobles “the challenged” has a section for books called “down syndrome” and “epilepsy.” The movie shows first hand how society views people with disabilities, as people who are challenged and are unable to do anything on their own. The way Eleanor acts in the beginning symbolizes this when she finds Zak and rushes to put a shirt on him instead of letting him do it himself. Although there is no problem with providing assistance to those who need assistance, society tends to discourage people with disabilities from trying to do anything on their own by locking them in a cage. The movie shows this and highlights it as an issue. When Eleanor finally stops babying Zak she represents the growth that society needs to undertake in the context of people with disabilities.Finally, the blatant usage of “nasty words” in an offensive way helps add to the negative voice of society that shrinks people with disabilities into feeling useless. Zak felt that he couldn’t be heroic because his coach would call him “retarded.” However when Zak’s opponent in the ring called him by that term and Zak picked him up and threw him out of the ring, it represented him overcoming his the offensive strain of society and the usage of nasty words. The reason this film is successful in regards to disability is because it is not about Zak overcoming his disability, something that many films seem to believe is the problem at hand. Instead, the film is about overpowering the obstacles that society forces on people with disabilities and forming relationships that encourage one to live life to the fullest regardless of whether one is able-bodied or disabled.

What makes this movie stand out over many other similar type movies is that the star of the movie truly has Downs Syndrome. Fist time I've seen that and the kid did a great job. Excellent supporting cast, good writing, directing and cinematography. Don't miss this movie, but keep in mind, it's sort of like Tom Sawyer. If you are not ready for that, then don't watch.

i loved that this movie was such a feel good movie!!!!! had to purchase for my sibling, i knew it was up his alley!!!!

An unexpected blessing in this movie... It is well written, acted, and directed, with a message that life is so wonderful if you choose to take one step out of your comfort zone.

Worth the watch.

What a delightful movie this was. In this age of everyone pushing the envelope in Hollywood, and see how they can outdo the previous movie with filth, cursing, sex and violence, this was a breath of fresh air. The friendship between Zak and Tyler is superbly portrayed and carefully developed. It is obvious in the beginning when they meet, that Tyler has no idea how to relate to Zak and understand his limitations as well as his abilities. However, Tyler soon begins to understand the value of having Zak in his life, as he obviously still copes with the loss of his brother, and his implied guilt in the accident which took his brother's life. Tyler obviously understands that Zak is utterly genuine and real in his affection and devotion to his new friend.As Tyler trains Zak, you can tell that he truly understands the importance of giving Zak confidence, as well as value him as a friend and companion. When Eleanor enters the scene, she becomes part of the trio, though hesitantly in the beginning, still clinging to her role as a responsible care giver and employee. You can soon see her doubts arise, that the system has Zak's best interest in mind. She begins to see him as a human being with dreams and ambitions, who has a right to self determination. Without having given away the plot, I hope the review will encourage readers to watch this movie.I highly recommend this movie, especially for those who may have trouble seeing people with disabilities as equals, with hopes and dreams just like themselves. Our value as humans is not determined by our abilities or lack thereof, status, possessions, bank accounts or fame, but by the simple fact that God created us all in His image.

Very enjoyable. I would recommend.

Such a heartwarming story. Worth the watch.

予約注文をしてましたが当日に遅延の為未定と連絡が来てからだいぶ待ちましたがやっと届きました！！！映画館で観に行けなかって本当に観たかった映画で日本版の発売が今年の8月なのでそれまで待てず独版ですがリージョンフリーだったので購入！！残念ながら日本語字幕はありませんでした。英語、ドイツ語音声、英語、ドイツ語字幕のみでしたが、英語も比較的聞き取りやすく、まだ優しい英語だったので私には良かったです！とても勉強になりす！私はシャイアラブーフさん、ダコタジョンソンさん大好きなので嬉しかったです♪ザックゴットサーゲンさんもとても良かったです！！とにかく内容も凄く良かった！！まだ観てない方は是非観て欲しいです！！とても心が温かくなる作品です！！

Die USA, im Landeszentrum der Rednecks (also irgendwo in North oder South Carolina): Zack hat Down und wurde nicht etwa in einer spezialisierten Pflegeeinrichtung, sondern in einem Altersheim untergebracht. Dort verbringt er die meiste Zeit mit seinem Kumpel Carl, der sich immerzu die gleichen Videos ansehen darf (oder eher: muss): nämlich Clips vom „Saltwater Redneck“, Zacks Wrestling Idol, denn Zack träumt selbst von einer Karriere als Wrestler. Als einer von Zacks Fluchtversuchen aus dem Heim endlich mal klappt, versteckt er sich auf dem Boot von Tyler: der Krabbenfischer hat Scheiße gebaut, wird dafür rausgeschmissen und rächt sich trotz seiner eigenen Schuld. Als Tyler Zack entdeckt, müssen sich die beiden erst mal zusammen raufen und entdecken später ihre tiefe Freundschaft zueinander. Doch nicht nur Tyler hat alte „Freunde“ auf den Fersen; hinter Zack ist seine Pflegerin her. Und nun sind alle auf dem Weg nach Florida, zum "Saltwater Redneck"..Ein bisschen weist „The Peanut Butter Falcon“ autobiographische Züge in einem anderen Gewand auf: der an dem Down-Syndrom leidende Zachary Gottsagen wollte immer Schauspieler werden und hat es, wie sein Charakter Zack im Film, letztendlich geschafft.„The Peanut Butter Falcon“ ist ein Roadmovie mit Buddy-Komödienanleihen, der die ganze Zeit über ein tolles Wohlgefühl vermittelt und so einige Brüller aufweist, auch wenn man den einen oder anderen schon weit vorher sieht (ich sage nur: Schrotflinte. Trotzdem saukomisch). Zachary Gottsagen ist ein Naturtalent, auch wenn seine zukünftige Besetzung aufgrund seiner Erkrankung eingeschränkt werden dürfte. Gottsagen agiert absolut authentisch und natürlich und stiehlt Shia LaBoeuf oftmals die Schau. Aber auch LaBoeuf kann restlos überzeugen, und der oftmals gescholtene Darsteller bringt den durch den Tod seines Bruders aus der Bahn geworfenen jungen Mann glaubwürdig 'rüber.Und so verfolgt man als Zuschauer vergnügt dem Roadtrip der beiden, wie sie absurde Situationen erleben, skurrile Typen kennen lernen und schließlich in Florida der Erfüllung von Zacks Traum entgegen sehen, auch wenn dieser sich in der Realität durchaus anders gestaltet als im Fernsehen. Dazu besticht der Film immer wieder mit tollen Landschaftsaufnahmen der Sumpflandschaften, die von einem tollen, melancholischen Soundtrack untermalt werden.Das Ende ist zwar in so mancher Hinsicht überzogen, aber das ist nicht so schlimm. Menschen mit Down werden erstaunlich hohe physische Kräfte nachgesagt; das ist im Film natürlich überzeichnet. Und trotzdem witzig.Das Bild fand ich hervorragend: schön scharf, detailreich und natürlich wirkend. Der Schwarzwert ist optimal, der Kontrast ausgewogen. Ein zeitgemäßes, HD-würdiges, tadelloses Bild.Auch die DTS HD MA-Tonspur ist sehr gut. Die dominierenden Dialoge sind stets gut verständlich, und eine angenehm umhüllende Surroundkulisse ist permanent vorhanden. Wenn der Bass gefordert ist grummelt er auch, und in den „Actionszenen“ passt auch die Dynamik.Extras: nicht angesehen, ich vergebe den Mittelwert. Die Veröffentlichung hat ein Wendecover.Mein persönliches Fazit: „The Peanut Butter Falcon“ ist ein Feelgood-Movie in bester Tradition von Filmen wie „Ziemlich beste Freunde“ und „Eddie the Eagle“. An die beiden genannten reicht der „Erdnussbutter Falke“ (übersetzter Kampfname von Zack) zwar nicht heran, ist aber auch nicht weit dahinter. Über ein paar kleinere Unstimmigkeiten kann man da wohlwollend hinweg sehen. Hat mir sehr gut gefallen.

This is one of the most uplifting movies that I have seen in years. Some parts are harsh and real. Personal freedom, hardship and compassion are key themes. While there is an "idyllic" tone to some parts of the movie, it is the most "real" movie that I have seen in years. You must see it.

This is simply an excellent movie. I bought this as a present for my brother and I know he will thoroughly enjoy it.

Ich Liebe diesen Film einfach nur rührend schön