14 Best Quotes from The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

An endearing film about what it means to live and experience all that life has to offer, the film offers a lot of insightful and quotable dialogue on Zak’s journey to freedom. Here are fourteen of the best quotes from The Peanut Butter Falcon.

Zak, a 22-year-old man with Down Syndrome, lives in an aged-care facility because the state has nowhere else to send him. He’s close with one of his carers, Eleanor, who discourages Zak’s obsession with wrestling. When Zak escapes the facility, he meets up with Tyler, a fugitive, who becomes his mentor and friend. Together, the two train themselves to be fighters while fleeing Eleanor’s pursuit — and the men after Tyler’s money.

Set in the Outer Banks, the familiar plot is balanced out by the beautiful, beachy landscape and heartwarming moments shared between the characters. An endearing film about what it means to live and experience all that life has to offer, the film offers a lot of insightful and quotable dialogue on Zak’s journey to freedom. Even though it seeks to be inspirational, the story maintains its sense of humor throughout. Here are fourteen of the best quotes from The Peanut Butter Falcon.

14. Zak: Hey, you’re invited to my birthday party.

Zak often expresses his appreciation or affection towards others by inviting them to his birthday party. For much of the film, it’s unclear whether his birthday is coming up soon or not. It’s an endearing phrase that comes up a few times throughout the movie.

13. Zak: Maybe we could be friends, and buddies, and bro dawgs, and hang, and chill.

One of the other heartwarming traits Zak exhibits is his kindheartedness. He’s trusting, open, and maybe even a little naive. However, when he meets Tyler, his kindness eventually gets the older man to open up. Zak wants to be friends with him from the moment they meet, especially after Tyler saves him from drowning.

12. Zak: Maybe we should have our own secret handshake … Buds, dudes, friends.

An important part of Zak and Tyler’s friendship, at least according to Zak, is their secret handshake. It’s one of the first rituals the pair establishes, and it becomes a humorous point of continuity throughout the story. Tyler insists that it’s only for “when special sh*t happens”, but Zak perceives everything as special.

11. Tyler: What’s rule number one?

Zak: Party?

Tyler thinks it’s important for them to have rules on their quest to find the Salt Water Redneck, especially when Zak starts asking him a dozen questions a minute. Even after Tyler repeats “rule number one” multiple times, Zak still insists that the first rule is to party. Later in the film, when Tyler asks what the first rule is, Zak replies with “party” and Tyler agrees with him. They break out into a dance and do, indeed, party.

10. Tyler: Yeah, you’re gonna die. It’s a matter of time. That ain’t the question. Question’s whether they’re gonna have a good story to tell about you when you’re gone.

As Tyler warms up to Zak, he begins to see that he hasn’t really been living in the aged care facility. Now, he’s determined to give Zak an experience he’ll always remember.

9. Zak: That is the greatest story to tell.

After pushing Tyler to open up and have some fun for so long, Zak is exhilarated by the prospect of their grand adventure. He’s inspired by Tyler’s words and finally feels like his life is worth living and worth remembering.

8. Zak: I want to be a professional wrestler. And I am a bad guy.

Zak isn’t sure whether he’s a good person or a bad person, but in this instance, he seems to use the word “guy” as an interchangeable term for his beloved title, “bad a**”. He really looks up to professional wrestlers like the Salt Water Redneck, and he wants to be just like them.

7. Tyler: That don’t make you a bad guy. Good guys get left too, Zak. Ain’t about no silly laugh or wearing black and eye shadow and sh*t, ain’t nothing to do with that. Has to do with what’s in here, in your heart. You got a good guy heart, you can’t do shit about that. You’re a hero

Zak: I can’t be a hero because I am a — Down Syndrome.

Tyler: What’s that got to do with your heart? Who told you that?

Tyler recognizes that the most beautiful thing about Zak is his warm heart. He believes that’s the most important and admirable trait he can have, and he’s intent on making sure Zak knows this. He often emphasizes this point to Zak and to others, and he wants everyone to remember Zak for this above all else.

6. Zak: Hey, do you wanna come to my birthday party?

When Zak first meets people, he welcomes them into his life by inviting them to his supposedly upcoming birthday party. This small act of kindness demonstrates what kind of a person he really is.

5. Zak: Tyler, are you a good guy or a bad guy?

Tyler: I don’t know. What do you think?

Zak: You are a good guy.

Zak likes to establish whether the people around him are good guys or bad guys, but he seems to sense that Tyler isn’t sure of where he stands. Zak himself isn’t sure, given the way Tyler enters his story. But after some time, Zak knows that Tyler is a good guy. Despite his past, Tyler is able to commit good deeds and maybe even forgive himself for what appears to have been a terrible accident.

4. Jasper: Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Jasper is an eccentric sort of character who becomes a significant part of Zak’s story. He’s very religious and has a unique outlook on life, which he shares with Zak and Tyler.

3. Zak: Tyler, I am going to give you all of my wishes for my birthday.

Zak comes to care very deeply for his friend, so much so that he’s willing to give away all of his birthday wishes. Given how much Zak cares about his birthday, this is very significant.

2. Tyler: He believes in you. That’s a hard thing to do — believe in something …

Zak: Yo, please don’t mess with the Peanut Butter Falcon.

1. Zak: I want to be a hero.

At the end of the day, all Zak really wants is to be a good guy and to be remembered for being a good guy. This is what being a hero means to him, and it’s not a bad way to live. Even if he’s not a world-famous wrestler, he touches the lives of those around him, and they will always remember him as their own hero.

[Originally shared with Vocal Media.]