Peanut Butter Falcon, an independent movie that has shone this summer, is a film like no other. Starring a man with Down syndrome, the filmmakers have sought to break the silence that has been present in Hollywood despite its efforts and growth in inclusion - casting people with disabilities in movies. Russ sits down with the team to discuss initial thoughts about this movie, along with the impact it is capable of having.
References:
Peanut Butter Falcon, an independent movie that has shone this summer, is a film like no other. Starring a man with Down syndrome, the filmmakers have sought to break the silence that has been present in Hollywood despite its efforts and growth in inclusion - casting people with disabilities in movies. Russ sits down with the team to discuss initial thoughts about this movie, along with the impact it is capable of having.
References:
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Speaker 2:the sheep in there as well. And they were wars in this world and I know that you'd to bother just to weird travelers who lost you. We so we don't clean you up, right? A baptism. I'm more of a baptism by fire. Alright? Okay. Talking to my wrestling school and become a bad ass. That's what he wants to do with the rest of his life. You let a half naked boy, the down syndrome who has no idea how to get along in this room. It just slipped out from under your nose. You two are close. We are within you. Figure out where he's at and you'll bring him back. Are you following me? Maybe we could be friends and buddies, Bro. Doll and chill. Have a good time. She needed wrestling schools. Lady one long road leads all the way down. I'll drop you there and I'm looking for a missing person. Have you seen him? Little Mental Elaina fit your girlfriend back there, Eleanor to bandits on the road. Oh yeah. Number one. Don't slow me down. Rule number two, I'm in charge. It was me. No party. No not party.[inaudible]. You have a young boy with downs syndrome in the middle of nowhere. All right. Well while you've been doing paperwork, we've been doing something called living[inaudible] tell her I'm going to give you[inaudible]. Oh man, I made a promise to him. Give him that wrestling school, Aden. No, we're not going to hop on your little raft and cruise around down the river. I don't know. I don't want to go home.[inaudible] so how far is it go deaf on the map or your fingers to scale? Yep.[inaudible] I think it's time for us to go back now. We could be a family. Friends are the family[inaudible][inaudible] wrestlers got alter egos. Do you need a name? Powell can breed a better[inaudible] digital[inaudible] welcome
Speaker 1:to digital scribbler podcast. Today is peanut butter Falcon Day. And we're going to talk about Pete and Better Falcon movie. Uh, I've got a bunch of people who've seen it. I didn't get to see it cause I was supposed to go and then I got sick with some cold that last for like 14 days, which I hate it. But, uh, I miss my opportunity, but I bought my ticket and I've got to see it still. But, uh, we really wanna make sure that we take advantage of now and get people encouraged to go see the movie and why it's great to see what it does for inclusion. Uh, so I've got a, a whole cast of characters here that are going to pop in on it. Uh, Vince Lynn and Cameron Straw, Nathan Shaffer novel, Alexis Colvin and Mike and Amy Query and, uh, they all have seen it. And, uh, let me just events as a, a film guy, a, um, uh, you know, got his masters in film, works on film, uh, from the Academy of art. I might add one of the best in the business. Um, what was your, what was your impression of it as a film? The quality of the film? Uh, the way it was made, you know, that kind of thing.
Speaker 3:It was, it was very, you could see it. They, they, they, they take what they can with what the environment give them. Um, and it was very nicely done. I would have to say that it was, there was the raw organic feel to it. Like you were there with them as they take the this journey. So the, the viewer, the person sitting in the, in the theater is going to feel like they're in the movie almost emotionally. Absolutely. And emotion. And I thought, I thought the, that they're portraying the character, I think, you know, Charlotte Labov, Zach, even Dakota Johnson in people, they cast it, right? One that was nicely done. People were believable, very believable.
Speaker 1:As you see the story about how they cast it, they basically did a, uh, their own little, uh, what's that called? Not yet proof, proof of concept. They did a proof of concept and sent it out. And some person, I think that responded first was Shyla buff. And he was like, say, well, you can't even read the script. He just saw the proof of concept and it's like, yes, sign me up. Wow, that's so cool. So let me just, let me just run by it. There's a great article in Forbes magazine while the peanut butter Falcon changes the disabled narrative and scared Hollywood. I'll refer to it a few times because I think it's an article that describes the opportunity, uh, in the challenge of inclusion. And I know all of you have been to some degree involved with our East sports programs and a variety of different things, spiritual resource program, which helps kids be part of a spiritual environment and be included in that. We've got a lot of them, but I'm not sure how many of you are really deeply aware of the importance and challenge of inclusion and why this movie is so important in this time and why it's so important that people see it. So I want to read from Kristen Lopez this article she put, uh, for fours where I generally don't go for uh, uh, Hollywood evaluations of films. I usually go there for business stuff. I love fours magazine, but this one was, they, every now and then they'll delight you with something like this. So this just a is her description of the movie and we'll keep on building just in case someone's unfamiliar with it. And I hope I get these names right. I know I'm going to get Zach's room a name wrong cause I already forgot between the two pronunciations which one it is, but we'll figure that when you're covering. Again, Kristen Lopez, why the peanut butter Falcon changes the disabled narrative and scared Hollywood. When you're covering disabled representation in cinema, it often feels like you're yelling into the void. So when you meet filmmakers and screenwriters who understand the issues inherent in the narrative, it provides hope for greater understanding. Directors Tyler Neilsen and Michael Schwartz want their latest feature, the peanut butter Falcon to be a story that goes beyond being a disabled story. And as a story about people just would, Vince was saying a story about people starring newcomer. Zach got Sufjan is that it got Sufjan got[inaudible]. You know, I forgot to listen. I've watched every interview he's done. You think I get it now you can't say Zach gossip in name enough cause the guy's incredible. But starting newcomers that got Sufjan as a man with down syndrome, going on an adventure to meet his favorite wrestler, the peanut butter Falcon is a mark Twain s tale of friendship, family. And breaking down a ballistic thinking to allow for greater independence as peanut butter Falcon Producer Crystal Mall tells the story. Neilsen and Swartz wrote this film for their friend God Sufjan who they met while working at Zeno mountain farms, a camp known for working with people with and without disabilities. The 2014 documentary becoming bulletproof documents. Zims goal towards helping people with disabilities work in film. Doxygen who has studied acting since the age of three came to Neilsen in Schwartz one day to declare I want to be a movie star. I want to be in a feature film. Schwartz recounts the two men though supportive, we're hesitant to provide encouragement knowing there are not a lot of characters written for people with disabilities, but God Sufjan refused to be discouraged asking the directors to work on the project with them and with fat, that trio decided to press forward. And so that's how you got the film. Peanut Butter Falcon and that's what it's about. So Alexis, you were saying that when the proof of concept went out, Shiela buff didn't even read the script. It was one of these interviews, he talked about how he saw the proof of concept and was just, and his friend I think recommended him to do it. And so then he looked at it and he was like, yeah, this looks amazing. I'm doing it. Where do we know Shilah buff from? Do you? Do you know Charlotte? Boston Stephens? Oh yeah. Classic. I watched the greenscreen youtube here. You guys all talk about wholesome family movies and Cameron Jumps in with the tank movie done with Brad Pitt and the shooting and the killing and the stuff theory. Oh my God. He did that technology movie. I think it was better than fury. A Eagle.[inaudible] and transformer was an Indiana Jones or something.[inaudible] yeah, but most of the, mostly the memes that the green screen youtube stuff now and now I see you bringing down the conversation. This guy said, this guy's a tremendous talent. He reminds me of Robert Downey Jr. I've, I've heard that. I've heard people compare it, the, you know, and I had read a lot about his childhood, which he talks about. Um, I think his dad was a clown. Um, something like that. And I read about this a lot when he was, cause I used to believe it or not, I loved even Stephens. So I would come home and I was watching even Stevens, uh, and a on Sunday or whatever, I guess it was on repeat, I'll have no idea. And I was like, who is this kid? Me and little kid. What was he? Maybe 12, probably. Yeah. I was like, who is this kid? He's incredible. Makes me laugh so hard. All this stuff he does. And so when I, I, I've been following his career since he was a little kid and even Stevens. And so I think the thing that really got me inspired was that when I heard he was going to be in it, I was like, you got to be kidding me. It's perfect. So, uh, that Sheil above now, Dakota Johnson, what do we know about her? She's the other actress in it. Who's the mom? Melanie Griffith. I can't believe. Yeah, no. Melanie Griffith is bigger. She's bigger. You guys don't remember Melanie Griffith called working girl. That was when she got started really young and uh, yeah, she was quite something back in I think the eighties, you know, so I understand why you guys don't, don't know. But yeah, she, she, she was quite something. So tell me, Mike, Amy, what was your impression of the movie? What'd you think about it and what, yeah, what was your impression movie? What'd you think about it as an inclusive movie? Uh, maybe speak, I'll tell you what, how about speaking directly, both of you speak directly to the idea of this guy, Zach has downs syndrome in real life and he's an actor in a movie. How did he do, what did you think? How did it change your view of, of people with disabilities being in movies? Yeah, I mean, so number of things there. I mean, to the point about the actors, Zack, I mean, he killed it. I mean, it was very authentic. You know, you feel him like on that just being him, you know, to the automatic when y'all saw the interviews, I'm like, oh, he's kind of the same guy. So he was able to kind of be him. The part I as far as like the conversation about inclusion, I thought the most, the most, one of the most interesting parts was one of the scenes where they were on a boat
Speaker 4:on the raft and they had that discussion where, you know, the, the, like his friend, the girl from the, the, the nursing home was, was trying to get him back. And by that point, Zach was already on the run or on the lamb or whatever with with, uh, shy and uh, they had this debate, this conversation, right, where she's kind of going like, you got to stop doing this. Like I'd get him back. Like he needs care. And he's like, why are you treating him? Like he's unable to do it, you know? And then so you could feel the tension, right? Cause neither one was like, I dunno, like malicious or bad, but you can see those, an unresolved kind of, it's like, wow, okay. Yeah, she got the way that came out. And for her it was kind of like, yeah, you're just kind of like treating him like he's nothing. But then how do you cope with the fact that, you know, like he needed help too. Right? And then so he is unrealistic. This raft adventure thing was going to last for a couple of days and then they're gonna run out of peanut butter or whatever. So that was a reality too. And I like how they didn't try to really resolve it. They just kind of put it out there and continued their adventure. I thought that was very interesting.
Speaker 5:[inaudible] I really loved how, um, you know, there's a line early in the movie and it says that, um, you know, friends are the family. We Choose O. And. M I love that because I think it was really interesting to me was that the inclusion inclusion wasn't just about including Zack. It was that they all needed it. Like, yeah, like Shiela buffs character in some ways. I mean maybe even needed it more. He was really alone in the world and you kind of find out his backstory and what's happened to him. And then how much he changes through the experience, through the friendship and then even Dakota Johnson's character. You kind of find out some stuff, some pain she's been through and how they all actually need each other. I thought that was really cool and really kind of eye opening about friendship. It's not just, Oh let me include you. It's like we all, they all needed each other equally tagline again, friends or though friends are the family we choose. Yeah. I think that's what it was. What a tagline for inclusion.[inaudible] just, just to, you know, that, that, that would even,
Speaker 4:you know, we need to put some social media stuff out to keep promoting it and get people to watch it. But boy, oh boy, what about that phrase, what can be done with that phrase? We should even write an article on that. You know about the, uh, the, the, the four points of inclusion from peanut butter, Falcon Friends of the family we choose is one of them, right? Yeah. Um, cause I really liked how you could really sense and feel their need and weakness equally. All three, you know, like, which is kind of Amy's point in that like even I thought shy, I'd only seen a couple of his movies. I liked him. I, I, you know, I think he's cool and everything, but I'd never seen him like this. And when he dies, I don't know if I'm explaining this right, I'm not like a film reviewer dude. But like when he was, he kinda like talked a tough game, but then you know, when the dudes came like he, he like coward like yeah. And I thought that was really interesting the way he is when he's deflated. Like his real self came out and his friendship with Zach sort of allowed him to sort of, yeah, I teared up. Right. I had tears all over the place when he was showing this stuff with his brother. Yeah. And you know, the loss and stuff there and I just like how that love and accept them acceptance allowed them all to find sort of peace. Do you think sometimes that, that, that,
Speaker 1:that, that people have difficulty with just movies about loving relationships? Cause it seems like we're in America, we're at a fairly, depending on, regardless of what side of the political aisle you're on, we're at a fairly difficult time in America. I don't think anybody can deny that. And you know, when and when you look back at times, like I wa I wasn't alive, but I've read enough history. When you look at times like World War One, World War II, um, Vietnam war, little less with Vietnam war, there were a lot of films that came out to boost people's confidence to help people be happy. It's a wonderful life. Came out around the depression, uh, and it had helped people hail it. It doesn't seem to me that enough director's film makers are sitting down and saying, what this country needs right now is it needs films like this. And I've heard some reviewers who, uh, the, the reviews had been really, really good about this film, the peanut butter Falcon. But I haven't heard reviewers review other movies. Not this one other movies and say, Oh, it was too syrupy. It was too this or too that. Like the greatest showman, which I think some people, people panned it. And I heard somebody out in podcasts, either they go, yeah, you know, the grey, the guy and the greatest Shawmanee Jackman, but that movie greatest showman. And I'm like, what is it about people in cinema that doesn't, that doesn't understand that just because a movie makes money destroying everybody's life and showing tragedy mean if they're not getting shot, they're dying of a terminal disease. That's what I was, I mean, we were scrolling through Netflix and, and I'm like, man, I gotta cancel this cause I'm scrolling. And it's just like serial killer, the psychology behind this murderer. And he's like, this town was succumbed to, you know, W and I was like, P hilly, I didn't watch. Like, I'll w atch, I won't watch y our show, but I feel depressed before. Yeah. And I think, I d on't k now, my t heory was always, I think it's harder to make a good relationship about if like, you know, all you're caring about is just like, how can I just make, make some money. Yeah. Right. You know what I mean? To not make i t cheesy. Right. Yeah. You wouldn't y ou w if you watch it p eanut P aul Falcon, you wouldn't say c heese or r elationship r eels. I think that's hard.[ inaudible] honesty and you have it like these guys clearly had it. They did the camp, they met Zack and they had like an honest, like everything you could just feel from the movie. It was like they really believed this stuff. They were, he can't like manufacturer tear point. Right. And I think if you don't have some kind of like belief behind what you're doing, it's going to be pretty tough. You know, it's interesting with those guys say, and I'll let you get right in here, but I want to mow and to slip this in. One of the things they say in the article by Forbes is that in Hollywood they advance inclusion for race. They advance inclusion for gender, but they really have difficulty advancing inclusion for people with disabilities. And I think that that building on what you're talking about, Vince creating a movie that is authentically what you're going to describe in a minute, but also that I think it's a double challenge to include person with disability. In
Speaker 3:a movie that's hard to make any way, but go ahead what you're going to say. Yeah. I think you know, one with would say beyond going beyond just the blind, you know, cause we've seen people disabled, blind dead. Yes. And then too in some ways, you know, you've seen you man about a person with autism. Yeah. Those are in some ways probably easier to portray because appearance wise is pretty much the same as a normal person. Yeah. However you put someone, for example, Zack, yeah. That, that and then also the, the unknown of how Zach is going to respond. Yes. Taking all these counts I think is really just putting a difficulty, uh, putting the film together.
Speaker 1:I remember, I remember you mentioned Raymond was there, the film you said Ray man and something else and he just had people remember and rain man, Dustin Hoffman place. Right. So that's the whole point. They, that the peanut butter Falcon producers and directors are making exactly as you basically said, we're going to make a movie without a person who has autism and one of the greatest actors of that period. And so in truth, they didn't make a movie about a person with a disability. They made a movie about a person who's typical acting like they had this belief, I'm not down on that movie. I love that movie, but I have a kid with autism now. And I'm like, okay, that's, that's not, that wasn't, that's not realistic. That, that, that, that's not how, because number one society in that movie, Raymond Society didn't react the way society reacted back then in reality. Right. I'm glad they made it. It was groundbreaking and opened the door. But what you find with, you know, the Helen Keller movies, it's not someone's blind. It's not someone who is deaf. Uh, uh, I thought, what was that movie? I should've got the television series. It was on speechless. Speechless. That the kid in the wheelchair really had really had cerebral palsy. Exactly. And so I'm not saying that we want to be unrealistic there. There are things that people have to do in movies that can't always be done by personal specialty. So for Dustin Hoffman or do it, I'm good with Dustin. I've been doing it, but at the same time I think what you're talking about here is to make this quality of movie and I think they're not getting enough press for how in the world did you take this kid who has, you know, some acting experience but really doesn't, he's not an actor and do this. You're going to say something or somebody in that Forbes article, she talks about that cause she talks about how, what did she say? She said it was groundbreaking to have someone who which what Vince was saying, how the having a prominent disability, not something that's, it's is hidden, you know
Speaker 6:that can be portrayed by someone who's like able, and she talked about how even they were offered some like different studios who they were trying to get it to get picked up and paid for. Like they were like, hey, you could get this a lister to play it, but they're going to be like a bowler or typical or however you want to call it. And, but they were like, no, Zach has to play the lead role. But they were, they were all like, they were like, we're not going to be able to sell that, so we're not going to buy it.[inaudible]
Speaker 1:so that, that we, I'm gonna get you in it. We got to make that like as we are on social media and sharing with people, that's a story. It's gotta be telling the peanut butter Falcon. People are telling that story like that, that they, they went out boldly and did this and that's why anybody associated with inclusion United, like I said, I didn't see it, but I paid for the ticket. So[inaudible] I spent money, I'm going to spend money on it again. But I think people have got to get out there and say, if you believe in inclusion, you have got to see this movie and take some friends with you. Go ahead.
Speaker 6:Right. And when I think it's, it is, you know, really authentic and groundbreaking for that reason, unless we're just saying, but it's also, I was sad to see that we had to go to the, you know, the theater that, you know, it's a limited release. So it was, it was the independent theater, you know, and I think that does speak to kind of, there's a, um, a culture of what's popular. Like maybe it's popular to be diverse or inclusive in one way by putting you in maybe a diverse cast of,
Speaker 1:you know, Vince can tell you though, when it comes to independent films, they are the ones that open the door, right? Editors like that one. Where'd you go paddle out though? Art Spell out though. Yeah. You gotta celebrate those because there's a ton of, of itching. I mean, let's face it, I'm not gonna be too hard on a Hollywood man. They do a lot of, they do a lot of good. Let's face it. It costs money to make a movie. Yes, definitely. Yeah. And the hardest part of moneymaking, right? Distribution. So it costs a lot of money to market in district. That's why we're doing this podcast. We're trying to help peanut butter falcon by saying at least we can get out there and push it. I get your point. It's sad. And this is what Alexis read in that article. I'm it, it's sad to see there was nobody ready to pony up the money and say, I'll take this. But at the end of the day it'd be like us coming to you and saying, I don't know how much money means anything. Even if I came in and said, hey, we really got this idea and it's really good cause and, and I need$5,000 and you have$5,400 in the bank.[inaudible]
Speaker 6:they want to bet on a sure thing. But it's cool because I think this is groundbreaking in the sense where it's, this can lead the way for more films in the future. I think it definitely get good. I mean the reviews, the reviews are stellar. You're getting all star casts in there, but isn't it about money? But I'm saying like I think this is proof that it can make money because it did. It did. Well, I mean for a small release I feel like it did, I think, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think so.
Speaker 1:I I good. The budget was 6.2 and then it, right now it's 8.8 in the box office mil. Oh 0.8 yeah. I don't think it's, I don't think the theater is going to be, I don't think a company's going to touch that movie. I don't think you're gonna touch anything unless you get to the 80$100 million they got. I mean I, yeah, I'd be, I think a big comp do it. They're going to need, they got 80 a hundred million dollars,$1 million. They're like, Hey, I could've wrote a check for that myself. Not me. I'm saying them. Yeah. So what I'm trying to say is, I like what you're saying cause you're speaking truth. It's on a small theater. It's like, but that's why people need to go see it. My hope is that as people go see it and then buy the digital and DVD version when it comes out, because if in total, in total, if after like two years it's may$250 million, I think then somebody goes, you know what, if we had marketed that better, we could be, you know, we could be up there. Cause I think this has got greatest showman, like qualities to it. Definitely. But maybe it's not even about a, you know, in some ways about money, but about changing people's minds. I think I saw one of the interviews where they had to, they, part of the proof of concept was proving that Zach could do it, you know? And that if at that chick could change people's minds in some ways and maybe that's one little step, like a drop in the bucket, you know, it doesn't matter how much money it makes, it matters. But maybe it also matters that like every movie like this changes people's minds a little bit more. No, I get your point in cameras. I think trying to hit that point is that you're saying, okay, maybe it won't be the star of a movie, but maybe do you guys remember a movie called, I don't even know if you guys were alive. Life goes on Chris Burke in it. He would down syndrome and he was a syndrome that television. Yeah, she would look it up. Life goes on. And because when Jonathan, my son with down syndrome was born and the geneticists talking to me, the thing and the eye doctor sal was the name of the geneticists, I think he's in Cincinnati now, but he was the Washington d c Children's hospital at the time. Is that the chief of genetics genetics department. And he said for some reason he was, you know, he was an Alexandria. He lived near Alexandria, which is where Jonathan was born, Alexandria, Virginia. And he said, I, I heard the call go out, that there was a kid, a baby born that might have down syndrome and someone had to confirm it. And so, uh, because we just found out in the delivery room from uh, on call, which typically that's not one how you want to find out. Number two, they're not experts. And so he came down, checked Jonathan out, said Eda said no, he came to me, he said, I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you something, but first I want you understand you don't have a down syndrome baby. You have a baby with them syndrome and you need to remember he's a baby. He's a kid. He doesn't have, yes, exactly. He's a person. And I always value the fact that he, that he said that, but he set me on emotion and gale nine emotion where we were, we were taught inclusion from a genetics doctor from day one that you're going to have to include them in your family. And sometimes with things like down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, a list of different things. The first step is can we get the family to feel like we can include our own kid and can we get the community around the family to fill. We include the young kids. So what I'd say is I s I said to him, I said, well, yeah, there's that kid Chris Burke, who's in the movie. He's got down syndrome. He goes, yeah, yeah, yeah. He goes, now, now, not saying your kid's gonna be in Hollywood.[inaudible] goes back. That's extraordinary. And I said, yeah, yeah, I get it. I get it. I go, but because I'm going back to your point, Cameron, I'm going back to your point, Amy, about change, because that actor was in a successful Sitcom. I knew, I didn't know what down syndrome was that it never heard of it. And so when I heard that my first thing was, oh, Chris Burke in life goes on. I know, I know about that. And if that's down syndrome, that's fine. I can handle that. That's not a problem. And I think there are people that are, you know, and remember there are a number of down syndrome babes who are boarded at a great rate. So what they say is it go, the percentage of down syndrome being born is decreased. Well, why abortion is increased. And so it looks like that, that it's going better, but it's not. And I think what happens is someone sees a movie like that. They go, I, I, if, if all of these actors and all these producers and directors can love him and include him. And you see, I see from the clips and from the, from the interviews I've watched just about everything. Yeah. He is lovable and not because he is the quote unquote angel the city. You'll go, oh, downturn the bees or angel. No, he's like, he's a person with a personality. I marvelous personally and his speech, that speech therapy, that's the power of the speech pathologist. They have worked with him and his, his cadence, his ability to slow himself down and pronounce those words, man, it works so good, Vince.
Speaker 3:Well, it's the thing that, you know, that when the movies started in the beginning, you know, Zach was the living in the group[inaudible] or nursing home. Like I think that was kind of speaking to this general understanding, we don't know what to do with a person. Yes. We have such a niche. Yes. And especially adults. Yeah. And so therefore we're going to put him here. And Zach was like, um, and it's one in front of it. The
Speaker 1:alley. I was, I was, uh, I worked on the C of the day. One of the realities is I, I said, you know, cause you know, we talk a lot about in the communities I'm a part of, we talk about a lot about doing good, helping me by report and everything like that. But oftentimes we'll be able to understand is, and I haven't checked my stats on this recently, but it's been traditionally true. The poorest people in America fall into two categories, single mothers and people with disabilities. And oftentimes what we forget is like, if it isn't for a gal and I Mike kids rapport, if it isn't for parents, these kids are poor. And when you go into a group home, you're essentially poor because you're your government. Well, everything's controlled. They take all your assets and you're stuck in a home. And in those homes, unfortunately, sometimes they're good, but sometimes some bad things happen just like in nursing homes. And so I think some of what, even what you just described opens the door to the fact that, wait a minute, so you're saying add that, that, that this is the destiny of, of, of, of, of every kid. Now it group homes are not bad because people can put them in them and there's some really great ones and some cool ones, some, some. I mean I'm not, I'm not[inaudible] point that, but I'm saying what you said is true. And I think that's one of the reasons difficult people go see the movie who maybe aren't connected to the community or having experienced stability is it's just like going to see a movie about anything. I remember watching a beautiful mind with Russell Crowe, which I love that movie. But when I went in there, that movie was, was disturbing because it put me, I remember sitting there going, I, and I don't want to offend people. I've met emotional health issues cause I don't, I don't, I don't really understand it. But for the first time I felt like I was in the mind of somebody who had emotional others. And I understood. And I was like, like I saw a guy today, he was wearing a red cow plaid shirt. He, I was sitting down in a, in a coffee shop. He walked by very quickly, but he was talking to himself and he seems someone angry. But when I saw it immediately I thought, beautiful mind what's coming out on the outside of him isn't what's going on on the inside of him. And it changed in, that changed my view. I remember I walked out of theater that day and said, I will never see emotional health, uh, the same way ever again in my life. And I think that part of what we, what is hard for people sometimes is to go see a movie about something like that and have to come face to face with the people. I laughed at the people, I said, why are those people allow them from the streets all that you can it that can burden your conscience. That's why these movies can change things. Well speaking even to what you said about like person first, like that's what I really appreciate about the movie is that I think in the article she says it, she says it's not a disability newbie. It's a, it's a movie about people and how I think that's really, they do a good job at that. Cause I feel like a lot of movies or shows or different things that I've seen, they, they talk about disability, but it's just like wow, like angel, like where you're saying like, wow, you know, but like a lot of times people just want to be like, no, I'm just a person, you know, like, and so I think that's something that I really appreciate about the movie is that they were, it really was just the main character had down syndrome. But it wasn't about that. It was about he had friends and he went on an adventure. And you know, when you're telling him about that there's the angel or, or, or the cereal, the, the, the, the shooter. It's like they're either an angel or they're violent. And I think that's one of the terrible things. The first thing they said about the killer of the Connecticut kids, I forget the name of that city, uh, where the little kids were all Zambia. First thing people started saying, oh, I think he had autism now, same thing. Oh I think he's got emotional problems. If once you start putting that narrative out[inaudible]
Speaker 6:now everybody goes, well, you know, I mean I think it allows you to distance yourself from it because like you're not in that, you're not a part of that. Like they're, they're either an angel or they're either that I'm not involved with that. And so I think when you have someone that's like, oh, I can actually relate to that person, I can actually, like I understand the struggle. I understand wanting to make new friends, you know, like the struggles that you go through. Like it actually puts you in it. And I think that's where you can experience that discomfort of like, oh, I haven't always seen people like that. And so, but like if you're willing to go to change your mind, then you actually can see people in a new way.
Speaker 4:And the movie does. I think challenge in that sense, it's kind of a reckoning. You have to sort of experience because I mean it's, it uses, you know, just the, the, the harsh and derogatory words in the movie that people use towards people with disabilities. Right? So it's, it's impossible to, I think, watch the movie without having something in your memory or your past, you know, uh, where you kind of go, oh, yikes. You know, like, I've, I've been there, I've thought that. Right. So I think that word that came to my mind to discomfort, you know, and I think there's, this would be degrees of that, but I think maybe that would be, what would be the challenge for this thing, like main impact is people's willingness to sort of kind of take this, you know, and kind of go like, you know, I mean, they don't have to like do like, you know, whip themselves on the back or anything like that, but, but I think it, it doesn't, in a very friendly kind of way, you know, so you can walk away going like, okay, you know, you can keep that. Maybe internally in something not for like a bad guy.
Speaker 6:I think when people can oversimplify it because it's harder to understand. It's easier to simplify. Like you were saying the two categories, it'd be like, okay cause then you can put them in a box. You don't have to think about it anymore. Yeah. But instead of like, you know, understanding and as someone as an individual and that they're complicated just like any person. So it's like that's harder, you know? I think that's just kind of unfortunately a people issue. We just kind of simplify so we don't have to think.
Speaker 1:Do they show the uh, the, how did you feel about how they, they showed the interaction between Shiloh fend, Dakota Johnson with him and the fact that you have to pay attention to speech, you have to listen, you have to be engaged. Because I think some of what causes people discomfort in real time is I don't want to have to sit there and listen and make out the words he's saying and all that. And so did you feel like they did a good job of showing that part of being family and inclusion is an effort on the part of the typical person to understand, to listen, to engage? Right.
Speaker 4:I think I, I thought, I don't know if I'm answering this correctly, but I do think they did a good job. Like she was shy when he's getting to know Zach for the first time. I think what I appreciate is he didn't like condescend, you know, like he was like, dude, get out of my face.
Speaker 6:Yeah. Like he was brushing off like he
Speaker 4:would anyway. So he was even inclusive in his meanness. He was non-discriminatory. So I thought that was, so, I felt like he was kind of, you could him straining to understand at different points. Right. But I thought that was real. And also like, you know what you want in any relationship in the interview, he said, he goes, I think it was great. Good Morning America interview. He says, one of the things about Zach, you gotta lean in, you gotta focus, you gotta be fully there to talk to him. And I go ahead and, well, cause I think it was cool because he saw that as like, uh, a positive attributes, not as something that could hinder. Like he saw it as like he was, he even the interview, I saw the interview, he was like, he was like, did you see that you leaned in? Like that's what you gotta do, you know, like he like picked up on it as something positive. That's one of the things that I, we can kind of bash actors a lot because they, you'd be out there or whatever. But like I appreciate when you're an actor. I would imagine you have to get yourself just in a space, you know what I mean? And he wanted the interview. Should I say like, I really appreciate Zach cause they just open, you know, and you kind of gestured with his hand to show like opening his chest up and he just like stays there. And um, I think what I appreciate about the actors is like, they have to like, I think the followup videos are what's really going to help people understand. Like it's more than just like fictional characters, like people were actually transformed in real life. And so to your point about promoting and doing our part to help promote, it's more than just driving the ticket sales. It's helping people understand the story behind which people don't. Sometimes I think if you're interested in movie, usually I'll go, let's go and I'll Wikipedia and stuff. But like the more I think people understand that shy and Dakota and what they kind of learned and how they grew, this was real. And then the movie is just a Mark Twain version of what actually really happened. Right. You know, then that's, I think that's a necessary part. Yeah. And anybody read Huckleberry Finn knows this movie is in the clash drawn rhe of it's comedic, it's dramatic. Well they gave a a a hat tip to it and also like there was a scene in there and it's like, what are you guys mark tweeting or[inaudible] it's a little wink. You know, people don't understand Mark Twain. That guy was dominant and some slides just culturally dominant. And even the fact they put it on the water.
Speaker 3:And all that. Yeah. I think, I think the movie did a really good job beyond just going about what are you talking about? The speech? Yeah, it was, you know, in, in terms of Zach's reflexes, you know, some things that he won't be able to do as fast as what other people usually do. And there was a particular thing I remember is shy was like w you know, Dakota was there trying to help push. I was like, well what are you doing? He can do that. You did watch it, you know? And I think I thought that was, that was really neat. Neat. Because you know, it wasn't, it wasn't like all just that's make Zach to be more like normal as to just this is who Zach is and that's okay.
Speaker 4:Yes. Yes. So that was beautiful. Expanding the definition of normal is essential, not only for people with disabilities, for all of us, you know, you can go back in time and you can look at movies with Sydney port ta called guess who's coming to dinner, where it was an interracial marriage. It was groundbreaking. It had, it did have major stars in it,
Speaker 1:but it was one of the, I mean, Sydney port was one of the first times that black actor, he's the first African American to win an academy award for best actor or anything. Uh, actually wait a minute for best actor, cause I think a, in gone with the wind, the maid won something which was controversial, best supporting. Yeah. Uh, but, but that, this stuff was unusual and not people are down on her because she was a maid and there was a lot of uh, um, Jim crow s depictions of her character. But what it is, is you have to begin to familiarize people with people that are different until different becomes normal. Right. And that's a lot of what inclusion's about is the capacity for human beings to make different normal. I want to end with this little section, uh, from the article that Alexis and I have been referring to. It's the very close of the article again by Kristen Lopez, who did a phenomenal job watching the finished product is a lesson in how Hollywood can better serve people with disabilities. Both from a narrative and inclusion standpoint. All four men admit fear. When Gosselin asked to take a jump off a 45 foot dock into a lake below quote, we had a stunt performer that was going to do the jump for him and Zach was like, I really want to do it. Sahara says everyone immediately vetoed the idea until they realized to say no was coddling their disabled performer in a way a NETHA to the movie's message. We were like thought the whole purpose of this movie is not to limit people with disabilities because we think they should be. We have to, we have to let him jump when it a[inaudible] what a phrase. We are going to few phrases from the movie on of our own today, but you know like you post a social media post, you got to see peanut butter Falcon where Zach got to, Jen does a 45 jump off the dock to the resistance of everybody, but it says, we were like, the whole purpose of this movie is not the limit. People with disabilities because we think they should be. We have to let them jumps. So Haro says co-director. Michael Schwartz wants the peanut butter Falcon to show disabled narratives that aren't sad or tragic, but allow everyone to have an adventure and ultimately tell their story. This is digital scribbler. We hope you have a great time and we hope most importantly that you go support the movie or that you learned from the movie or you buy the DVD, get the digital version a. You can subscribe to this podcast, which I think you're going to like more and more as you listen to it. Give us five stars if you can. If you like it and love it, give us five stars. If you didn't like it and didn't, just didn't agree with it, give us five stars anyway and share about the show on Facebook or any of the social media platforms. Please share with your friends about the Peter Mutter Falcon. I can't wait to get my opportunity after having given my tickets to someone else and then living off my money and de bankrupting me. It was worth the cause and a, you know, you got a shout out to all the people who worked on it. And I have to say I was really impressed by, uh, Johnson and labuff the two young actors. And it made me want to watch any movie they make because when you see them interact with him on, on in the interviews, it's just moving to see how legitimate and deeply authentic they are. Don't forget the, uh, uh, old-school WWF wrestlers that make cameos in the movie worth, worth the presidency. I, I, I will, uh, I will support you in your notes. And what are those director's names again that people did the movie? I gotta I gotta I can't remember their names. Swartz and uh, Tyler Nielsen and Michael Schwartz. I mean these guys, if, if, if everything goes as we've predicted, these guys are going to be making big time films down the road. Cause if they can do this, uh, with the visuals,
Speaker 7:with the acting directing of the actors, I got to believe you were going to call on them to do more of these to peanut butter, Falcon digital. Scribbler trying to push, inspired, motivate us to the cause of inclusion.
Speaker 2:[inaudible] thank you.
Speaker 7:You're listening to the digital scribbler podcast. If you like what you're hearing, subscribe to the feed and please leave a five star rating and brightest review. Also, make sure to check out digital scribbler.com to learn more about our apps, products, and efforts to help bring inclusion into the mainstream. Thank you for listening.
Speaker 2:See you next time.