Sony Animation is not gonna make the same mistake twice. When you don’t realize Kpop Demon Hunters would make a gagillion dollars in the theater, and sell it to Netflix who reaps the rewards, that’s enough to make anyone second guess their decisions. So again Stephen Curry was in the right place at the right time getting Sony’s push, but also remembering to make Goat a good film first. You know, one that isn’t riding the coattails of the better all time player, Lebron. You heard me!
When his mom Louise (Jennifer Hudson) takes him to see his first roarball (basically basketball with more natural obstacles) game, Will Harris (Caleb McLaughlin) is forever smitten. Day and night, he practices as hard as he can to play for the Vineland Thorns, his favorite team, with his favorite player, black panther Jett Filmore (Gabrielle Union). After struggling hustling for years, Will gets his chance after a viral moment on a streetball court against the current best roarball player, horse Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre). Will’s small stature is seen as $$$$ for the struggling Thorns owner warthog Flo Everson (Jenifer Lewis). She signs Will to a contract, giving a goat his chance to become THE goat of the game he loves.
I’ll never forget my first basketball game; it’s one of those life moments seared into my memory, including the morbidly obese drunk man in the upper deck chowing down on peanuts screaming every 8 seconds to “Shoot a tree (three in Chicago speak)!!!” The opening of Goat assured me I was in the right hands, as I was hit with a wave of feelings I hadn’t experienced in years, watching young Will leave his body just by being in the presence of Jett and the Thorns. These feelings aren’t mine alone: they’re ubiquitous for anyone who’s loved any sport. That universality veers nicely into llama Carol’s (Ayesha Curry) diner, where Thorns fans young and old watch their team, through thick and thin. Anyone who knows a die hard fan will recognize the animals in this diner, tying their emotional state to their favorite team, especially poor armadillo Gerry (Adam Pally), so heartbroken he’s started to root against them for the sake of his own heart. The emotions of the movie hit home best as Will and eventually Jett go here, reminding themselves why they love the game so much, and that roarboall can’t just be about ego: too many people root for their heroes and leave it all on the line wherever they root for the team.
With goodwill earned early, all Goat has to do is maintain it. The story is your standard fare sports underdog tale, which makes sense if anyone knows Steph Curry’s rise. The anthropormic choice is the bedrock of creativity, as each stadium reflects various natural elements across the world (volcano, jungle, tundra, etc), and each joke uses an animal nature as a punchline. You will chuckle at Jett’s sleeping arrangements, or how Thorns first round bust draft pick ostrich Olivia (Nicola Coughlan) literally and figuratively buries her head in the sand when things get tough. Without hitting you over the head with it, black culture permeates the movie, as sneakers, streetball, and mixtapes are key plot points for Will as we learn more about him. There’s a working class feel too, as Will has to really work hard to make ends meet and achieve his dream, while all the players around him forgot about that type of hustle that got them to the top too. And maybe sneakily my favorite part, this isn’t just a boy’s game. Jett, Olivia, polar bear Propp (Angel Reese), and alligator Kouyate (A’ja Wilson) are all major stars in roarball, giving everyone kid watching the movie their own hero to root for. That’s Goat’s magic: this is a story everyone can believe in, and truly believes everyone if they work hard enough, can get to the mountaintop and live out their dreams.
I hope NBA players take their kids to watch Goat too. Amidst load management discussions with your team, I hope this movie reminds you that if you’re considering sitting out one of those games, there’s some 5 year old whose parents scraped and clawed to get that upper deck seat, so their kid has a chance to see their hero play the game they love. Take that message to heart y’all and play the game for them when you think you “tweaked” something but really you’re fine.