Already on digital, indie darling and SXSW audience prize winner The Peanut Butter Falcon arrives on Blu-ray and DVD from Lionsgate today (November 12, 2019). The heartwarming tale has been on my radar since seeing the first trailer but somehow missed my local cineplex. Thankfully, I was offered the opportunity to review the Blu-ray, so here we are.

Growing up in Mississippi in pre-internet dark ages as a child, adventure was everywhere around me. Even though I lived in the suburbs in a cultivated subdivision with an HOA, the call of the wild was at the end of my street – open landscape that was once part of the Natchez Trace. Summers were spent riding bikes, playing in creeks, camping in the woods, and playing “spotlight” with friends under the night sky long after the street lights came on. I grew up reading the stories of Willie Morris’s Good Ole Boy, immersed in Southern culture where The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were gospel. There’s just something I appreciate about forging your own path and living life unobstructed.

All of which is just a long way of saying I really enjoyed The Peanut Butter Falcon.

Starring Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, and newcomer Zack Gottsagen, The Peanut Butter Falcon is about three characters in search of escape: Zak (Gottsagen), a young man living with Down syndrome who longs to live independently and chase his dreams; Tyler (LaBeouf), a troubled man on the run from his past and hardscrabble tough guys set on revenge; and Eleanor (Johnson), a hospice worker in search of Zak who doesn’t yet realize her own need for escape.

After breaking out of a nursing home (with help from Bruce Dern!) – his last-stop housing option – Zak makes a break for his dream of becoming a wrestler. Stowing away on Tyler’s boat just in time for a high-speed chase, Zak convinces Tyler to take him to the wrestling school led by his favorite wrestler, the Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Hayden Church). With Eleanor hot on their heels, the trio finds desperately needed connection along the way.

Enjoyable enough on its own, the movie-watching experience is elevated knowing the whole film was created by the filmmakers (writer/directors Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz) as a star-making vehicle for their real-life friend Zack Gottsagen. After meeting them at a camp for individuals with disabilities, Zack expressed to the pair how much we wanted to be a movie star. But rather than just lament the lack of roles in Hollywood for those living with disabilities, the pair set out to make a movie featuring several of Zack’s favorite things like swimming, wrestling, and parties.

Additionally, the often-fraught Shia LaBeouf has said that working on this film, and specifically working with Zack, was life changing. Having walked out of jail and onto the set to film the movie, I like to think I could spot moments in the movie where the empathy, discovery, and connection between the two actors were authentic reflections of their true selves. (LaBeouf would go on to rehab where he would pen the upcoming feature Honey Boy.)

Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf in ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’

With stunning visuals of coastal landscapes, a great supporting cast (Jake “The Snake” Roberts even pops up!), and an unironic sense of innocence, I have the feeling most people will enjoy the film as much as I did. Though the Mark Twain sense of adventure may be right up my alley, it isn’t hard to relate to the movie’s heartfelt message. I won’t go so far as to say this is an all-time favorite, but it certainly deserved more notoriety, critical praise, and box office receipts than it received.

In fact, the only thing I’m dissatisfied with was the Blu-ray’s special features. The only real special feature beyond the theatrical trailer was a brief making-of featurette, which wasn’t as substantive as I would have hoped for a movie with this much heart. Well, that, and the unrealistic visual effect near the end of the movie (no spoilers, but you’ll know it when you see it).

Nevertheless, those complaints are easily overlooked. If you’re looking for a movie you can watch solo or with your family for a movie night, The Peanut Butter Falcon is a great choice.