Shia LaBeouf's Best Movie Is Getting A Second Life On Netflix

One of Shia LaBeouf's most critically acclaimed and underrated films is finally getting the love it deserves. The actor has had an interesting career, effortlessly transitioning from child performer to blockbuster leading man to indie darling in the span of two decades. Some hardcore fans might not even remember his character on "Freaks and Geeks." While he's had a number of iconic roles, some of which LaBeouf regrets taking, one film that's universally loved is "The Peanut Butter Falcon." Released in 2019, the indie darling is the 6th most-watched film on Netflix for May 9in the United States. 

The movie is striking a chord with viewers on the streaming service, besting the likes of Denzel Washington's "The Equalizer" and Adam Sandler's romantic comedy "Blended." Upon release, "The Peanut Butter Falcon" earned widespread praise, gaining a beautiful 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is a notable high point for LaBeouf, emerging as his highest-ranked film on the platform, alongside his 2019 flick "Honey Boy," which has the same score. 

Even IndieWire critic David Ehrlich, who gave "The Peanut Butter Falcon" a mixed-to-negative rating, is particularly enthusiastic about the actor's performance, writing, "[the film] wouldn't work without LaBeouf's raw and endearingly turbulent performance." The movie has several fans on Letterboxd, the film-centric social media site, with users awarding it a 3.8 out of 5 average score. "[W]hat an utterly beautiful addition to the films that feel like warm hugs cinematic universe," gushed user aarnwlsn in a near-perfect review. 

"The Peanut Butter Falcon" follows the fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) on his journey of self-discovery as he befriends Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome with dreams of being a wrestler. Zak is on the run after leaving his assisted living facility, and Tyler helps him achieve his ambitions, which leads to a strong friendship. Their journey together becomes increasingly perilous as Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), Zak's caretaker, tracks them down. 

In addition to LaBeouf, Gottsagen, and Johnson, the film features Bruce Dern, Thomas Haden Church, and Jon Bernthal in pivotal roles. The critically acclaimed picture was written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. Overall, "Peanut Butter Falcon" is a pleasant feel-good comedy-drama that highlights representation. In terms of LaBeouf's filmography, the film is nothing short of astounding and moving, proving the actor is capable of tackling a variety of roles. 

For LaBeouf, working with Gottsagen allowed him to appreciate filmmaking once again. "The kid in me died and I just got over all this. This rollercoaster wasn't fun after a while. You ride the same rollercoaster, it just loses its appeal. Then, you go on it with someone who hasn't been on it before and somehow, it sparks back up," he told Channel 4. Many might question whatever happened to LaBeouf, but the actor has been strategically shedding away his blockbuster leading man image to focus on smaller, more emotionally-charged indie fare.