The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) - An Appeal for Decency

If there was ever a moment in time that demanded a movie like The Peanut Butter Falcon, it's right now. This is a story about decency, about accepting others for who they are regardless of the differences that may exist between you and them. It's also about learning to let go of whatever darkness lies in your rear-view mirror, and choosing to move on with your life, choosing to be more and be better.

Each of the film's principal characters, in one form or another, establishes themselves as something more than what the rest of society views them as. They are not defined by their limitations, nor by their past mistakes. They are defined by the choices they make, choices borne out of genuine goodness of the heart. It is their decisions to do what is right and to treat others with respect and dignity that ultimately distinguishes them as the good guys. Sheep in a wolf's world.

Nobody expects much of Zak (Zack Gottsagen). He's a 22-year old who finds himself locked within the confines of a North Carolina old folks' home through circumstances completely out of his control. His family abandoned him, presumably because of his Down syndrome, and he's now being cared for by Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), one of the assisted living facility's employees who seems to genuinely care about him. Despite the lousy hand he's been dealt, he has his sights set on bigger and better things and won't allow his heart of gold to be spoiled by a world that seems intent on locking him in a box and throwing away the key.

Zak is supposed to accept the untenable reality of his situation and live his life like a helpless vegetable, allowing others to tell him when to eat, when to sleep, to help him get dressed and take care of himself. But there's way more to him than such a monotonous, submissive existence would allow, and it's bursting at the seams.

Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) is an aimless grifter with a past, a familiar storytelling archetype to be sure, but not one that feels stale or played-out. Despite his rough edges, LaBeouf infuses an undeniable charm and a sympathetic quality to Tyler that instantly makes him someone to root for. But still, haunted by demons, much of his quest revolves around him deciphering whether he truly is one of the sheep or one of the wolves. We have a pretty good idea as the audience, but Tyler is not quite as sure.

Through his encounters with a runaway Zak, and the spark that ignites between him and Eleanor later on, his true nature begins to reveal itself. It is basic human decency that comes to color his interactions with those around him, a fundamental understanding that we're all just trying to get along in this world and there's no use trying to do it alone. It is not the mistakes of his past that he will ultimately be remembered for. It is the benevolence and kindness that he extends to a wayward Zak that affirms his character. And decency is rewarded.

Our protagonists' persistent goodness, their ability to resist the temptation to meet evil with evil, is what makes The Peanut Butter Falcon such a profoundly touching and soul-affirming work of fiction. Real, unadulterated human kindness and decency is unmistakably powerful when we encounter it. It's something we should use to influence our actions and decisions on a day-to-day basis more often. The world's problems are not going to be solved because we hold the door open for someone or pay for the car behind us in the drive-thru line. But I wonder what would happen if we were all just a little more decent to one another.

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