The Adventures of The Peanut Butter Falcon
The Peanut Butter Falcon hopes to discover some timeless Mark Twain magic
The Peanut Butter Falcon is the story of a young man with down syndrome who dreams of becoming a pro wrestler. The simple dream leads to a timeless adventure that harks back to the literature of Mark Twain. Set to the backdrop of the American south, the story tells of Zak (played by Zachary Gottsagen), who yearns to live the pro wrestling life- the start of which, is at wrestling school far away. Along the way he meets Shia LeBeouf's Tyler, a crook with a heart of gold who takes Zak under his wing and promises him that he will get him to that wrestling school.
As they tackle the many difficulties and pressures they face on their journey, we find the bond between the two hard to break. The Peanut Butter Falcon co-stars Dakota Johnson, Bruce Dern, and Jon Bernthal in supporting roles, while former wrestling legends Mick Foley and Jake "The Snake" Roberts feature.
The film's official release describes the film as;
"A modern Mark Twain style adventure story ... [about] 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 whisky, find God, catch fish, and convince Eleanor (Johnson), a kind nursing home employee charged with Zak’s return, to join them on their journey."
The film received positive reviews when it previewed at this year's SXSW Festival, with the Hollywood Reporter praising the performances, notably that of LeBeouf's. Who apparently isn't so shouty these days.
The Peanut Butter Falcon was directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, based off a screenplay they wrote and is being distributed by Roadside Attractions. It premiered at SXSW and will open in select cinemas in the United States August 9th.