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The Peanut Butter Falcon

The Peanut Butter Falcon

201997 minPG-13Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Directors
Michael Schwartz, Tyler Nilson
Starring
Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson, Thomas Haden Church

A down-on-his-luck crab fisherman embarks on a journey to get a young man with Down syndrome to a professional wrestling school in rural North Carolina and away from the retirement home where he’s lived for the past two and a half years.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Peanut Butter Falcon?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Peanut Butter Falcon streaming on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Peanut Butter Falcon?

The Peanut Butter Falcon earns 7 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Peanut Butter Falcon worth watching?

The Peanut Butter Falcon's Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 457K ratings across 6 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

96th percentile among Adventure97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)93rd
Approval (how many liked it)96th

76 /100

93rd percentile of all films

95th percentile among Adventure92nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 70 · Audience 76

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.7 — people broadly agree on this one.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Adventure97th percentile among 2010s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Critics 95% · Audience 96%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 14 wins / 14 noms overall

98th percentile

457K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Adventure98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$6.2M
Opening weekend$205K
Domestic gross$20M
Worldwide gross$24M

Returned 3.8× its budget — 74th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sweet, well-meaning road-trip buddy movie with a heartfelt message, but its charm doesn't excuse logical gaps and predictability.

Fans praised

  • Zack Gottsagen's natural charisma and authentic performance
  • Genuine chemistry and bond between Zak and Tyler
  • Heartwarming, feel-good journey with emotional depth

Detractors panned

  • Plot holes and implausible coincidences
  • Predictable, formulaic story
  • Unrealistic, unsatisfying ending

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf praised for natural chemistry and raw emotion

Emotional impactDivisive80

Genuinely moving; fans call it tear-jerking, detractors find it manipulative

Cinematography75

Beautiful landscapes and natural lighting capture the Southern setting

CharactersDivisive70

Well-written leads with depth; supporting characters one-dimensional

HumorDivisive65

Natural humor from character interactions; some find it unfunny

Plot and storyDivisive45

Simple, predictable road-movie structure; riddled with implausibilities

EndingDivisive40

Abrupt, unsatisfying resolution felt rushed and improbable

OriginalityDivisive40

Derivative of Huckleberry Finn and other buddy road movies

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Peanut Butter Falcon like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and uplifting: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be moved and come out lifted.

It has a few laughs and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Moving and uplifting.

Moods
HopefulWarmTriumphant
Heaviest: late
Register
WarmAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters and their journey with genuine affection and earnestness, never undercutting its emotional moments.
The rideThe film maintains a warm, hopeful tone throughout, building toward a cathartic and triumphant climax, with the emotional weight peaking in the final act.
StructureThe story follows a straightforward chronological path from escape through journey to destination and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a warm, uplifting feeling of hope and joy, celebrating friendship and dreams fulfilled.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeZak's escape from a care home to pursue his wrestling dream drives a journey alongside an unlikely ally; the road trip structure and his coming-of-age arc form the central plotline.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSelf-worth
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Self-worth · 7% of filmsFreedom · 5% of filmsFriendship · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Zak's quest to prove his worth and claim his identity as a wrestler, against the expectations of a society that underestimates him.
StanceThe film celebrates the dignity and determination of its protagonist, affirming that his dreams are valid and worth pursuing.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessSmall townRealistic
FolkSupportive music · original score · Gabe Witcher
SettingThe backwaters and small towns of North Carolina, including a retirement facility and coastal marshes.
MusicThe score uses twangy, folk-inflected acoustic guitar and banjo, enhancing the rural Southern atmosphere.

Content guide

Is The Peanut Butter Falcon okay for kids?

PG-13

The Peanut Butter Falcon is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language throughout, some violence and smoking” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (38/100), sexual content at minimal (13/100), language at intense (71/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at moderate (37/100). Overall it is heavier than 65% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UK12A
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-7
  • GreeceΚ-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • Russia12+
  • SingaporePG13
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
  • TH15
  • UA12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 40% of all filmsHeavier than 65% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 36%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 16%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 98%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 38%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Peanut Butter Falcon have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Peanut Butter Falcon?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Shia LaBeouf
as Tyler
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Zack Gottsagen
as Zak
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Dakota Johnson
as Eleanor
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Thomas Haden Church
as Salt Water Redneck
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
John Hawkes
as Duncan
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Bruce Dern
as Carl
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Jon Bernthal
as Mark
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Wayne Dehart
as Blind Jasper John
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jake Roberts
as Sam
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Mick Foley
as Jacob
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Peanut Butter Falcon?

Movies like The Peanut Butter Falcon include Troop Zero (2019), Paradise Highway (2022) and The Yellow Handkerchief (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, all are films set in the rural American South, and several are escape stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 12 share its story type: road movie. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Peanut Butter Falcon?

1.2K other films share the rarest tag below, up against: outlaw. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.