BFI London Film Festival: The Peanut Butter Falcon

London, , GB

A story of escapism, adventure and finding your true family, The Peanut Butter Falcon by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz is a sweet and uplifting film.

At 22 years old, Zak (Zack Gottsagen) suffers from Down's syndrome and is living in a retirement home surrounded by old people. Too young to fit in, he is motivated by the dream of becoming a professional wrestler and hatches a plan to escape and meet his hero, the Salt Water Redneck. Wearing nothing but his pants, fearless Zak sets off in the middle of the night to the horror of his support worker Eleanor (Dakota Johnson) who is tasked with bringing him back.

The classic story of a man on the run picking up a straggler, an unlikely friendship forms when Zak bumps into outlaw Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) who reluctantly takes him under his wing with the only rule “don’t slow me down”. Both alone in the world, the pair discover they have more in common than they thought and, joined by Eleanor, an unconventional yet loving family is formed.

Set on the swamps and rivers of the deep south with a soundtrack of bluegrass, this adventure filled with fun, dangerous close calls and makeshift wrestling lessons is sure to make you smile!