recently watched a movie - " Peanut Butter Falcon ". It is very touching. It tells the story of a young man suffering from Down syndrome who escaped from the nursing home in order to become a professional wrestler.
When I first watched it, I thought that Zach, the actor who plays a Down syndrome patient, performed too much.
went to look through the story behind the movie and was shocked and moved.
It turns out that Zach is a patient with Down syndrome.
8 years ago, the two directors of the film, Taylor Nelson and Mike Schwartz, went to a disabled training camp and met Zach. He told the two directors that he had always had a dream of being an actor.
"I have always wanted to express my emotions through performance and show my abilities to others."
In reality, Zach has started performing amateur dramas since he was a child. When he was a child, he was influenced by dramas such as "Grease" and "Hairspray" and had the talent of an actor.
has a disabled and strong will. The two directors were moved by him and wanted to help him, but the biggest problem is, where does the funds for the filming come from? No investor dares to take a sum of money and bet on such a "sick" actor.
But is the population of patients with Down syndrome not worthy of having dreams?
director broke the bankruptcy and realized the "Tang Baby" wrestling dream
In "Peanut Butter Falcon", I saw a glimmer of hope and humanistic care for the group of patients with Down syndrome.
This is a very simple story, "Rebellious teenager + journey adventure + growth return", old students are common, but choosing an actor with Down syndrome to play, which is exciting and adventure, but also inspiring and touching.
Two directors, the idea of helping Zach realize his dream, impressed the first group of people - the male lead of the " Transformers " series Shia Labeou and the female lead of "Fifty Shades of Gray" Dakota Johnson .
Both are very well-known and are willing to use their popularity to participate in the movie with Zach.
The two directors almost lost everything in order to realize Zach's dream of becoming an actor. During the filming, the crew almost set up tents on the spot and slept on the ground.
Fortunately, the filming of the movie was completed, and the final budget was 6.2 million US dollars. After its release abroad, the film received a good reputation and won the Southwest Southwest Film Festival Drama Audience Choice Award.
However, I think the greatest value of this movie lies in mutual achievement and redemption.
There is no doubt that Zach's success cannot be separated from the help of the people around him. When he realized his dream, Taylor and Eleanor were always by his side.
Especially Taylor, the person who once wanted to abandon Zach became brothers with Zach. Taylor sometimes does extreme things and ignores consequences, but he is a kind-hearted person.
At first, Zach explained to Taylor that he had a Down syndrome patient and hoped that Taylor could help him, but Taylor retorted that he was also unfortunate and had no time to care about other people's affairs. Later, when he saw Zach being bullied, he chose to jump to the sea to save him regardless of his life.
After that, he and Zach made bamboo rafts together, taught Zach to use guns, and carried out strength training together. During this trip, Zach gained sincere friendship, learned a lot of life skills, and was full of hope and courage in life.
Remember a plot in the movie. Zach told Taylor that he sometimes feels inferior and feels that pursuing his dreams is futile. Taylor asked why, Zach said, "I can't become a hero because I have Down syndrome, and the coach also said I am mentally retarded."
Taylor's comfort is very direct and powerful, "The adults I know do not have the power of you, you are very strong, Zach."
Tyler and Zach, rather than saying that Taylor helped Zach realize his dream, it is better to say that it is because of the two of them that they saved each other and allowed them to escape from despair. Zach proved himself with hard work, and Taylor also walked out of the shadow of losing his brother.
Although Zach looks stupid, there is a line that is really heartbreaking and makes people cry: "Taylor, I will promise you every birthday wish."
Just like Zach, because of his illness, his words look a bit childish, but full of sincerity.
Taylor and Zach redeem each other, and the same is true for the two outside the play.
The male lead of the "Transformers" series - Shia LaBeouf. In reality, he not only smokes marijuana, but also falls into some negative scandals because of alcoholism.
During the filming of "Peanut Butter Falcon", he began to reflect on his life. In reality, he made an appointment with Zach to stop smoking marijuana within 2 years, and he really did it.
What can Zach learn?
Zach, 22 years old, a Down child, persistent, innocent and cute, has lived in a nursing home for many years.
He dreams of becoming a wrestler and hopes to learn the most famous trick - atomic fall from his idol "Salt Water Red Neck".
After several failed escapes, he was still uneasy about the status quo. For the last time, he finally broke free from the sanatorium and began to pursue his dreams.
Taylor, since he was a child, relied on each other and made a living by fishing. He lost his life while driving drunk.
After my brother passed away, he began to become lost, down-and-out, and drunk.
Another fisherman Duncan took away his brother's crabbing certificate. Taylor set fire to Duncan's crabbing tools and became a "fugitive".
By chance, the two met unexpectedly. Due to the vast differences in personality, some conflicts occurred in the middle. Taylor, who had nothing, was preparing to abandon Zach, but when he saw Zach being encouraged by a little boy, Taylor couldn't bear to save Zach, and the two began a dramatic adventure.
As a road film, "Peanut Butter Falcon" has no fast-paced ups and downs, but more of it is the deep thoughts brought to people behind the occurrence of each plot.
At the beginning of the video, Zach wanted to escape, but it was not without reason. Although life in the sanatorium makes him live a quiet and comfortable life, in the eyes of outsiders, he is still an "idiot" and cannot take care of himself.
Eleanor is responsible for eating, dressing and sleeping. Although Eleanor is her responsibility to take care of the patients, she also has a preconceived consciousness, believing that every Down patient lacks the ability to take care of himself and treats Zach.
When Zach said that he had a wrestler dream, in Eleanor's eyes, even some other medical staff felt that it was just a fantasy, Zach's self-fantasy.
When sleeping at night, Zach watched the wrestler's game video with great enthusiasm. A guardian came over and said, "It's time to go to bed, mentally retarded."
Zach didn't say anything, but he could vaguely guess that he was traumatized inside. However, it was precisely because of the contempt and ridicule of outsiders that he wanted to prove his heart stronger with his own efforts.
What efforts did Zach make to succeed?
Zach has a half-baked master, that is, Taylor. Although Taylor has not received training, he will guide Zach to do some basic strength training.
There is no barbell, so use a very thick tree trunk instead. During the push and pull exercise, you will use the hay to make a thick grass stub. Taylor stood on the grass and Zach pushed hard.
At the same time, Taylor will also call Zach to swim and hold his breath. During rest, he will also encourage Zach to exercise his physical strength. Although the practice process is difficult, Zach never gives up easily. As time accumulates, his ability is increasing day by day.
Along the way, Taylor and caregiver Eleanor, both of them treated Zach completely differently. The former treated him as a normal young man, while the latter still helped Zach with the same attitude as taking care of his children.However, the nurse also gradually realized that the "let go" of Zach really helped him grow.
experienced many setbacks. He saw his idol "Salt Red Neck" and participated in a local wrestling competition. The moment he threw Uncle Sam out of the ring, Zach finally realized his dream.
In the video, Zach did not give up chasing his life because of his identity as a Down patient. His extraordinary charm also comes from his non-giving and not escaping.
believes that this is the growth and transformation that every ordinary child with Down wants to reach the most.
They try their best to live like a normal person, and what they expect most is that society treats them like normal people.
gave birth to a "Tang Baby", what should I do?
In the movie, Taylor and Zach's friendship is touching, but reality is cruel.
Because of this disease, they are slow to grow and develop, and they are also common in mental retardation. This will also lose the right to enroll in school and educate, be hired to work, and some people will even be discriminated against and abused.
In reality, babies with Down syndrome (commonly known as "Tang Baby") are basically sentenced to "death penalty" since they are born.
I have seen such a post about euthanasia in Down's children.
The answers online are different, and everyone has their own opinions.
Most of the people who can be found during pregnancy are basically aborted, but those who have no choice but to abandon them.
A couple I have seen around me also gave birth to a couple, and the son is a "Tang Baby". They chose to keep their daughter to raise them, send their son to their parents, and provide regular support.
The couple's approach is a bit cruel to their son, but from the outsider's perspective, they think it's not easy for them. Who doesn't want to have a healthy child?
The burden of raising a Down child on an ordinary family.
This is a very extreme and realistic problem. Mild patients can still be treated and can be corrected through acquired learning. Some severe patients, such as unconscious violent tendencies, are a big blow to ordinary families.
No one wants to give birth to a "Tang baby", but according to the "China Birth Defect Prevention and Control Report (2012)" released by the Ministry of Health, there are 23,000 to 25,000 newborns every year.
People are born different, either lucky or unfortunate.
But no matter what, once you have children, you still have to take on the responsibility of your parents to raise them and give them tolerance and help.
Destiny has treated them with more kindness and gives them more warmth.
is like Zach in "Peanut Butter Falcon", adjusts his mindset and faces life positively. Perhaps life has another world.
"My goal is to get more gold medals and let people know that I am the strongest"
On March 16, 2018, Li Xiang won the Special Olympics championship at the age of 15.
By chance, he fell in love with the gymnastics sport and regarded Li Xiaopeng as his idol.
Li Xiang, who suffers from Down syndrome, does one thing very difficult. It may be because of the ability of ordinary people to tie shoelaces, and Li Xiang takes a lot of time to perform this action.
It can be imagined that it is so difficult to become a gymnast. A movement must undergo thousands of training times to ensure that there is no mistake.
Although the gymnastics movements at the Special Olympics are simpler than ordinary gymnastics, due to the natural development of Down's patients and the influence of low intelligence, they must be repeated to undergo strength training, so their hands often have to go through the process of getting worn out and getting cocoons and continuing to wear out.
Practicing gymnastics for nearly 5 years, I don’t know how many falls, sprains, and falls are almost commonplace. Even with tears in his eyes, he never gave up.
Li Xiang is homophonic with "ideal", which is the beautiful meaning his parents have given him to him. He did not surrender to fate. From Tang Baobao to the Special Olympics champion, Li Xiang has always worked hard for a dignified self.
In life, we often give up on ourselves because of some setbacks, but when we think about it, they are still working optimistically for an ordinary life.
What other reason do we have to not live every day seriously?
