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Three hosts of the 3 Guys and a Flick movie review podcast with movie-themed background.
🎙 Podcast Episode 21

The Peanut Butter Falcon

Join the Guys as they review Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz’s 2019 adventure comedy-drama starring Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Jon Bernthal, Thomas Haden Church, Yelawolf, Mick Foley, and Jake Roberts, where a young man chasing his pro wrestling dream escapes a care facility, teams up with a troubled fisherman on the run, and turns a Southern river journey into one big found-family body slam.

Release Date August 9, 2019
Runtime 97 minutes
Director Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
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3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 21

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

ⓘ Details

Movie TitleThe Peanut Butter Falcon
Release DateAugust 9, 2019 in the United States / August 23, 2019 wide expansion
TaglineA modern Mark Twain style adventure story.
Runtime97 minutes / 1 hour 37 minutes
DirectorTyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
Screenplay Written ByTyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz
Based OnOriginal screenplay, shaped around Zack Gottsagen’s real-life dream of becoming an actor and wrestler
Is It a Remake?No. It is an original independent adventure comedy-drama with a modern Huckleberry Finn-style spirit.
BudgetApproximately $6.2 million
Box OfficeApprox. $20.5 million domestic / approx. $23.7 million worldwide
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👥 Main Cast

Shia LaBeoufTyler
Zack GottsagenZak
Dakota JohnsonEleanor
John HawkesDuncan
Bruce DernCarl
Jon BernthalMark
Thomas Haden ChurchClint / The Salt Water Redneck
YelawolfRatboy
Wayne DehartJasper John
Mick FoleyJacob
Jake RobertsSam
Ann OwensRosemary
Rob ThomasWinkie
Tim ZajarosOrderly Carl
Deja DeeJanice
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🏆 Awards

⭐ SXSW Winner — Narrative Spotlight Audience Award
⭐ Deauville Film Festival Winner — Audience Award
⭐ Nantucket Film Festival Winner — Audience Award for Narrative Feature
⭐ Nantucket Film Festival Winner — Best Narrative Feature
⭐ Heartland Film Festival — Truly Moving Picture Award
⭐ Palm Springs International Film Festival — Rising Star Award for Zack Gottsagen
⭐ IMDb lists the film with 21 wins and 16 nominations.
⭐ No Academy Award nominations were verified for the film.
⭐ The film’s real legacy is its audience connection: a small-budget indie that became a sleeper hit through warmth, word of mouth, and a whole lot of heart.
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📖 Short Plot Summary

Zak, a young man with Down syndrome, escapes from a care facility so he can chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler under the guidance of his hero, the Salt Water Redneck. On the run, he meets Tyler, a troubled fisherman with enemies behind him and grief weighing him down. As Eleanor tries to bring Zak back safely, the three form an unlikely traveling family through marshes, boats, campsites, and backwoods adventures. The Peanut Butter Falcon is part buddy comedy, part road movie, part wrestling dream quest, and part emotional suplex to the heart.
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❝ Key Quotes

“Friends are the family you choose.” — Tyler
“I am going to be a professional wrestler.” — Zak
“You are not invited to my birthday party.” — Zak
“Rule number one: don’t slow me down.” — Tyler
“You can’t be everything to everybody.” — Tyler
“I’m going to give you all of the wishes for your birthday.” — Zak
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💡 Trivia

Director

  • The Peanut Butter Falcon was written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz.
  • The film marked their feature directorial debut.
  • Nilson and Schwartz first met Zack Gottsagen at a camp for actors with disabilities.
  • The story was built around Gottsagen’s personality and dream of becoming a performer.
  • The movie has often been described as a modern Mark Twain-style adventure, which fits the raft, river, runaway journey, and oddball companionship.

Cast / Casting

  • Zack Gottsagen stars as Zak, and the film was developed specifically with him in mind.
  • Shia LaBeouf plays Tyler, a fisherman running from trouble and grief.
  • Dakota Johnson plays Eleanor, the care facility employee trying to find Zak.
  • Thomas Haden Church plays Clint, better known to Zak as the Salt Water Redneck.
  • Real wrestling personalities Mick Foley and Jake “The Snake” Roberts appear in the film.
  • Jon Bernthal appears as Tyler’s brother Mark in flashbacks, giving Tyler’s story its emotional weight.

Soundtrack / Score

  • The film’s music was created by Zachary Dawes, Noam Pikelny, Jonathan Sadoff, and Gabe Witcher.
  • The soundtrack leans into folk, bluegrass, Americana, and Southern textures.
  • The music supports the film’s river-road adventure feeling without turning it into syrupy inspirational wallpaper.
  • The score gives the story an easygoing, rambling quality that fits Zak and Tyler’s off-the-map journey.
  • Basically, it sounds like sunshine, river mud, second chances, and someone about to learn a wrestling move in a field.

Location

  • The film is set across the coastal South and follows a river-and-marsh journey toward Zak’s wrestling dream.
  • Filming took place in Georgia and North Carolina.
  • Savannah, Georgia and surrounding coastal areas helped give the film its humid, lived-in Southern atmosphere.
  • The waterways, boats, makeshift camps, and small-town locations are a huge part of the movie’s charm.
  • The setting makes the story feel like a fairy tale that wandered out of a bait shop and forgot to go home.

Behind-The-Scenes

  • The filmmakers first made a proof-of-concept short video before securing funding for the feature.
  • The movie was produced by Albert Berger, Christopher Lemole, Lije Sarki, David Thies, Ron Yerxa, and Tim Zajaros.
  • Production companies included Armory Films, Lucky Treehouse, Bona Fide Productions, and Endeavor Content.
  • Roadside Attractions released the film in the United States.
  • The reported production budget was approximately $6.2 million.
  • The film grossed about $23.7 million worldwide, becoming a strong sleeper hit for an independent release.

Nostalgia

  • The Peanut Butter Falcon became one of 2019’s best word-of-mouth indie surprises.
  • Its appeal comes from the chemistry between Zack Gottsagen, Shia LaBeouf, and Dakota Johnson.
  • The movie feels like the kind of story people recommend by saying, “Trust me, just watch it.”
  • It hits that sweet spot between funny, heartfelt, adventurous, and just weird enough to feel homemade in the best way.
  • For wrestling fans, the Salt Water Redneck angle gives the movie an extra layer of lovable underdog chaos.

Easter Eggs

  • The film’s journey structure nods to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, especially in its runaway friendship and river imagery.
  • The Salt Water Redneck is both Zak’s wrestling hero and a symbol of the identity he wants to create for himself.
  • The title comes from Zak’s chosen wrestling name, the Peanut Butter Falcon.
  • The presence of real wrestlers like Mick Foley and Jake Roberts gives the fictional wrestling world a fun bit of authenticity.
  • Tyler and Zak’s raft journey turns a modest indie road movie into a small-scale American folk tale.
  • The ending leaves the new “family” open-ended, making the journey feel like it could keep going after the credits.

Misc.

  • The Peanut Butter Falcon is rated PG-13.
  • The movie runs 97 minutes according to Box Office Mojo, while some listings round it to 98 minutes.
  • The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 9, 2019.
  • It was released theatrically in the United States on August 9, 2019.
  • Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus called it a feelgood adventure brought to life by outstanding performances.
  • Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Peanut Butter Falcon as Episode 21, with Don rating it 3.50, Ken rating it 3.50, Jon rating it 3.50, and an overall rating of 3.50.
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🔗 Sources Cited

3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 21: Peanut Butter Falcon 3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings IMDb — The Peanut Butter Falcon IMDb — Full Cast & Crew IMDb — Awards IMDb — Quotes IMDb — Taglines IMDb — Soundtrack IMDb — Filming Locations IMDb — Trivia Box Office Mojo — The Peanut Butter Falcon Box Office Mojo — Release Details The Numbers — The Peanut Butter Falcon Rotten Tomatoes — The Peanut Butter Falcon Metacritic — The Peanut Butter Falcon
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