On this week’s edition of ‘The Best Acting I’ve Ever Seen‘ – let’s talk about 2020’s biggest Oscar snub – The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) featuring stars Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf.
The Actors: Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf
The Film: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Directors: Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
The Scene: Shia LaBeouf’s Tyler and Zack Gottsagen’s Zak are on the run from the law and are drifting down a river on their make-shift raft. The two are exhausted and Tyler begins to remember the brother he lost some time ago while Zack tries to cheer up his pal. It’s one of several tear-inducing moments in a brilliant film, but one I feel is the best.
My thoughts: For starters, The Peanut Butter Falcon not only has universal acclaim among critics, but it’s also the highest grossing independent film of 2019. It was my second favorite movie of the year (just behind The Irishman) and it features what I feel are career-best performances from both Shia LaBeaouf and newcomer Zack Gottsagen, who actually has Down Syndrome in real life. It was nominated for ZERO Awards, at any of the shows and that is a damn CRIME. Watching this scene really brings out what I feel is the core of the entire film – brotherhood. This is a movie about making your own family and way in life. Seeing these two young men find each other during the lowest points in their respective lives and then finding this beautiful friendship during their journey is one of the most remarkable things you’ll ever see in a movie. Period. The Peanut Butter Falcon deserved Oscar recognition and I think that directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz managed to make one of the most heart-warming indie comedies in the history of cinema. You won’t find a more genuinely uplifting experience at the movies than you will while watching this film and this scene although quiet and brief, I do believe is truly some of the best acting I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is a New American Classic – The Best Film of 2019 (Review)