Two comedy-dramas, with straight-forward titles and from first-time directors. Both feature characters walking by foot, in trying to find themselves, and the effect they have on the people they meet. One takes place down on the bayou, the other in the city that never sleeps.
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| Zak and Tyler. |
22-year old Zak (Zack Gottsagen) is a young man with Down syndrome who dreams of being a professional wrestler like his hero The Saltwater Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). Having been abandoned by his family, he's been living in a retirement and watched by a kind caregiver (Dakota Johnson). With the help of his crusty roommate (Bruce Dern), Zak makes a getaway to search for his hero and learn to be a wrestler. Along the way he bumps into Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) a fugitive fisherman on the run and pursued by two old delinquents (John Hawkes & rapper Yelawolf) out for blood. From there, its journey down the river of Mark Twain proportions as the two make for an unlikely duo.
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| A moment on the river. |
From beginning to end,
The Peanut Butter Falcon brought a smile on my face, courtesy of first-time writers/directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. Newcomer Zack Gottsagen, who in reality does have Down syndrome, brings a remarkable performance so down-to-earth than anything I've ever seen. He's certainly a name I'll be looking forward to see in the future. For all the tabloid troubles, Shia LaBeouf performance reminded me of his early roles in
Holes, The Greatest Game Ever Played and
Surfs Up; showing his softer side underneath that brash personality. Suffice it to say, every actor is great from former
Fifty Shades star Dakota Johnson, Jon Bernthal via brief flashbacks, and a couple of real wrestlers who appear in the third act that fans of the sport might recognize.
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| Tyler, Eleanor and Zak. |
While the narrative can be a little contrived and the ending tries a little too hard on being ambiguous,
The Peanut Nutter Falcon is a feel-good movie that will brighten your day.
Final Verdict: A-
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| Jillian Bell as Brittnay |
Based on a true story, (specifically on the director's roommate at the time) 28-year-old Brittany Forgler (Jillian Bell), is a fun-loving party girl who comes to the realization that her life hasn't gone anywhere. An appointment with her doctor puts her face-to-face with her old enemy: exercising. It's a small step but she makes it goal to start jogging and eventually run in the New York Marathon. During the year she meets fellow joggers, Catherine (Michaela Watkins) and Seth (Micah Stock) who like her are running for personal reasons and starts's a platonic friendship with a slacker named Jern (Utkarsh Ambudkar) after a series of failed dates.
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| Brittany and Seth jogging. |
Brittany Runs a Marathon presents real hardships that many can relate to. It's a funny, and sad watch as we see Britney and the other characters go through those harsh hurdles of life. Despite her snarky and immoral attitude Brittany isn't without heart; you root that she'll make it through and you feel her distraught when her efforts fall short, especially when she see's how everyone else is doing well while she remains in the same rut. Comedic actress Jillian Bell display's her range in both acting and physical performance. Lil Rel Howery from
Get Out, once again steal's the show, who like Bell turns for a more dramatic role as Brittany's brother-in-law and father figure.
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| Jern teaching Brittany the ropes of online dating. |
The film does lose steam when it goes into rom-com territory and while many may view this as some sort of health PSA,
Brittany Runs a Marathon is a comedic sports movie that will inspire and show that change on the inside is what matters more than on the outside.
Final Verdict: B
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