Director: Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz

The Peanut Butter Falcon is a sweet buddy picture. Zak (Zak Gottsagen), a young man with Down Syndrome, escapes from the retirement home that has been his home for several years, in order to make his way to a wrestling training school and fulfill his dream of becoming a wrestler. He very quickly meets up with a rebellious-but-kind-hearted local on the run named Tyler (Shia LaBeouf). Together they embark on a Huck-Finn-style river trip. The duo becomes a trio when Zak’s health-care worker Elanor (Dakota Johnson, about as adorable as I’ve ever seen her) catches up with them, with instructions to return Zak to the home. Zak and Tyler have other plans, however.

There’s nothing special, or even that unpredictable about the story, but it’s a fine film just the same. The chemistry between Tyler and Zak is enough to make up for anything lacking in the plot. LaBeouf walks the line between disinterested and paternal. It’s a role that 20 years ago would have been tailor-made for Sam Rockwell. He never treats Zak as anything less than a human being, something that very few in Zak’s life do. Even Elanor babies him. Gottsagen, who does have Down syndrome, does a great job. He’s fearless, and never mugs for the camera or asks for our sympathy. It’s a great first feature film performance, garnering him a couple of newcomer awards, and I would expect similar good work from him in the future.

There are some great cameos and bit parts here, including Bruce Dern, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, John Hawkes, Jon Bernthal, and Thomas Hayden Church as Zak’s idol, The Salt Water Redneck. It’s easy to see why they all wanted to be involved with this film. Like Zak, it’s small but powerful. I wish they would make more films like this one—not stylish films, not flashy films, but films about people. Sometimes that’s enough. IMDb has Falcon at a 7.7. It’s a fair score. I’ll round up to an 8. This is one that has the potential for my “Best of 2019” list. (running time 1:37)