In viaggio verso un sogno - The Peanut Butter Falcon

...or get in your way if you want it hard enough; no matter who or what you are - just go for it, you'll achieve nothing if you don't. Inspirational and heartfelt stuff to be found here in spades, and while those words get overused on far too many occasions they are more than appropriate in describing the courageous and endearing Zak Gottsagen who brings a spark of magic to proceedings. A true role model to all and one to be looked up to and admired in his own right.

As the father of a son with Down Syndrome I had high hopes and expectations for this movie. I watched all the interviews and reviews and was super excited to watch this. My wife and I went to watch it this morning, first showing and first people to purchase tickets from our local movie theatre. The movie starts and we were in awe of Zak and Tyler. They're chemistry was electric. You could tell Shia truly loved being beside and being with Gotteagen. This movie made my heart happy more than anything. I understand the movie had to tackle the dreaded "R" word and it hurt hearing the word tossed out by a child at the beginning but Zaks response was legendary and I will never forget it! It did a great job of shedding light on people with Down Syndrome and the struggles SOME go through. Unfortunately there are still people out there who don't know the joy of having a person with Down Syndrome can truly bring into they're lives. All in all an amazing movie that makes perfect sense. I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone who has any heart. Hopefully this will become a series cause I would personally love to follow this story for as long as it can go on.

First things first... Zack Gottsagen is a revelation and he steals the entire movie. His interactions with. Shia LaBeouf are heartwarming, and (rumor has it) often spontaneous and unscripted. Probably the most unusual "buddy film" you will have seen in ages.

The story isn't as dazzling as Zack is, but it's warm and sweet with all the feels. Two "pals" on the run for very different reasons... one pursued by tattooed thugs, the other by his beautiful "jailor." The clashes are predictable, as is the romantic entanglement. But it works, because Zack holds it all together with his charm and innocence.

Shout out to the wonderful Thomas Haden Church, who does a great turn as a gruff retired professional wrestler, with a heart of gold. His scenes with Zack are priceless and it's a pleasure to watch him work.

All in all, it's a cute film if you don't think too hard about the implausibility it all, and just go with the flow.

I didn't have many expectations for this movie, the trailer mainly just made it seem like something original, which is always a plus nowadays. But this movie was heartwarming, funny, and certainly original. The chemistry between Shia LeBeouf, Dakota Johnson, and Zack Gottsagen felt very genuine and natural, not to mention likable.

The first half of the film was mainly a road movie with Shia LeBeouf and Zack Gottsagen's characters, and it was enjoyable and funny as all get out. There were some moments of character development and flashbacks that were very tastefully done that utilized subtlety to show Shia LeBeouf character's background. And Zack Gottsagen's character felt very natural and likeable, with layers to his performance and connection with wrestling that showed a lot of characterization.

Not to mention, the cinematography and music was very captivating and gave the film some subtle and charming personality. The only real issue I had with it was that the pacing lagged a bit about ¾ of the way through. But it quickly found its way again and became pretty unpredictable as to where the story was going. Overall, this movie was so enjoyable, heartwarming and it was a great character movie and road movie that truly felt like a breath of fresh air.

The Peanut Butter Falcon Review:

The Peanut Butter Falcon follows Zak, a Down's syndrome patient living in an assisted living home, as he runs away from his care home to make his dream of becoming a wrestler come true. Along the way he meets Tyler, a man on the run after committing a crime, and the two make an unbreakable bond as they spend days together learning about each other. I had heard only good things about this film since it aired at various film festivals. I tried not to have the plot revealed too much to me which I think benefits sometimes. I was very surprised to see how many people went to see this film at 10 in the morning. That was giving me high hopes. Also the almost perfect critic and audience score told me something as well. What a heart warming film. We haven't had a film like this in a while that has a great message and is made to make us happy. The plot, though it can be pretty unrealistic at times, makes for a fun adventure. Zack Gottsagen as Zak is definitely the standout here. What a great performance. He has so much to work with to embody his character. He provides most of the comedy and there's no way to hate him. Shia LeBeof has finally had a great performance and I personally think the best of his career. I understood where he was coming from and how he perceives himself. One of the questions asked in the film is who's the bad guy and who's the good guy. He knows the bad things he has done and doesn't know which is heartbreaking almost. Yet he continues on with life an eventually meets Zak. Their bond was so strong where I stopped seeing Shia and Zack and saw their characters. You can tell a film is good performance wise when you forget who is playing who. I'm was just so happy when they were together and the serious scenes too. Dakota Johnson plays a worker from the assisted living home who is trying to find Zak. She did very well and probably one of her best performances as well. I want too invested in her character but she provided some good topics to talk about. One of my favorite scenes was with her and Shia and he's explaining to her that she's treating him differently since Zak has Down's Syndrome and she should just treat him like any normal person and not like he's a child. This film is very good at provides good insight and a beautiful way. I realized this film was special when the woman sitting next to me started crying at a feel-good moment that was a little emotional. Great films should affect you in some sort of way, typically it happens through emotion. It does get emotional at times. It was needed and knew when to keep on a scene longer or when to switch. There was one exception with the climax of the film. A big event happened and about two minutes later it ended. I would've liked just a little more since it ended abruptly. That was my only major flaw. Technically this is a beautifully shot film with amazing shots from above of the scenery, especially along the beaches and water. The score was good and peaceful. The technical stuff set the tone right for me. I'd definitely recommend seeing The Peanut Butter Falcon. I really hope it's in consideration for awards this upcoming season. If you live around the central Wisconsin area it'll be playing at the Stevens Point theater and I believe still at the Cedar Creek cinema in Wausau (that's where I saw it).

My Grade: A-