I enjoyed this movie. It’s an entertaining story that takes a creative tone, and in my opinion, it manages to be uplifting without being schmaltzy or pandering.
Zak, a young adult with Down Syndrome, is stuck living in a nursing home. When he runs away with the dream of going to the wrestling school run by his hero, he meets Tyler, a troubled man who’s just gotten himself into big trouble. Together, they set off an adventure along the deltas of North Carolina, getting to know each other in the process. They’re followed by Eleanor, a woman who works at the nursing home who’s trying to track Zak down.
That description sounds a bit cutesy and like it runs the risk of the dreaded “inspirational” label that tends to follow stories about disabled people, especially those with developmental disabilities. But I think this film threads the needle well here. Zak is always treated like a person, not a lesson or an “angel.” And while meeting him helps Tyler face up to some of his own personal issues, their growing friendship is one of give and take. They help each other—sometimes they bicker, sometimes they joke, and Tyler grows to care about Zak in a way that isn’t really paternalistic. Not to mention, I’d say Zak and Tyler are dual protagonists, and while their stories are deeply intertwined and affect one another, they’re each on their own personal journey.
The dynamic between Zak, Tyler, and Eleanor is really interesting. Zak is a man on a mission—he doesn’t quite know how to accomplish it, but he won’t let that stop him. He makes space for his independence while also asking for help when he needs it. Tyler is a good guy at heart, but he’s been really hurt and has been struggling for a while now. He frequently makes dumb or self-sabotaging decisions, and that includes some awfully reckless choices with Zak, despite them both being good for each other. Eleanor recognizes that the nursing home isn’t the right place for Zak, but she’s too focused on 1) protocols dictated by the state and 2) her medicalized view of him to really listen when he tells her what he needs.
The film is billed as a modern-day Mark Twain adventure, and I can see that. Apart from the actual river rafting, we also get colorful characters and a series of entertaining tangents over the course of Zak and Tyler’s adventure. And there’s just a slight sheen of outsized proportions to the whole proceedings. It has that Mark Twain feel of an American tall tale, where you can imagine that the story we watch unfolding isn’t precisely how it happened, but how the characters retell it themselves after years of embellishments.
As Zak, Zachary Gottsagen does a nice job leading his first feature film. He handles both the comedy and the drama of the role, and he makes for a rootable hero. Shia LeBeouf is very good as Tyler and plays well off Gottsagen. This was made before the allegations came out, but they were still on my mind as I watched him. Dakota Johnson plays Eleanor, nicely effective as a woman who cares about Zak but has a hard time reconciling the idea of him having his own autonomy. The film also features Bruce Dern, Thomas Hayden Church as Zak’s hero the Saltwater Redneck, and a brief appearance from Jon Bernthal.
Warnings
Violence, language (including ableist slurs,) drinking/smoking, thematic elements, and involvement of an alleged domestic abuser.
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