★★★★☆

Off the back of the Spider-Verse movies and more recently the widely popular KPop Demon Hunters, Sony Pictures Animation has been on a roll. Among the huge line up of stars in this movie including Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Nick Kroll, Patton Oswalt, and so many more, basketball player Stephen Curry also produces and debuts in his first ever film role. So with all the noise around this movie, was GOAT also a slam dunk?

Greatest of All Time? 

GOAT tells the story of a goat named Will Harris (Caleb McLaughlin) who dreams of making it big in the world of roarball. For as long as he’s loved the game, he’s loved the team the Vineland Thorns, and has idolised it’s all star player and “greatest of all time”, Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union) his entire life.

But the once highly sought-after roarball team begins to drop in popularity, losing game after game along with heavy critiques on why Jett Fillmore is still playing the game after so long. With an endearing yet clumsy team backing the team captain Jett, she begs their owner Florence “Flo” Everson (Jenifer Lewis) to bring on another addition to complete their team in hopes of improvement. 

On the other end, Will goes viral on the internet after playing and awfully losing a game of roarball to Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre) – the current MVP of a competing league. This internet fame brings Flo right to Will’s doorstep where she recruits him to be a part of the Vineland Thorns and “play” alongside his number one idol.

After a few hiccups, including clashes between Will and Jett, against all odds, they learn to work together to bring glory back to the Thorns and the people that love them.

Upping the Animation Game

The animation style in this movie is reminiscent of the stylistic choices in Spider-Verse and KPop Demon Hunters, playing with the graffiti and street effects in this somewhat dystopian landscape. While this is something that Sony have been doing for quite some time, it’s still always a breath of fresh air whenever you get to see it play out on the big screen. 

GOAT is so vibrant and alive and will no doubt keep you engaged through the 100 minute run time. It’s also paired with an incredible soundtrack that brings a whole new life to the visuals.

A Movie For The Kids

Through and through, this is a sports movie that follows its usual tropes. Where we follow a sports team that seems to be on its final legs, who is then saved by a wildcard newbie with a passion and love for the game that hasn’t been seen in quite some time. We watch as they continuously improve after every game, much to the annoyance of its all star player, who isn’t used to sharing the limelight. They continue to polish their teamwork and learn to lean on one another in the lead up to the final championships. Through their turmoil, they gain support and attention from their community, and eventually find a sense of belonging in a group of unusual suspects. 

It’s a trope that’s simple enough to follow and has been seen in different movies and television shows many times before. The more orthodox approach to the narrative makes it incredibly easy to digest, allowing audiences to focus more on the amazing animations. Stripping back to a more throughline plot also makes it so much more accessible to children.

In saying that, the movie is also just a great kids movie. Sitting in a cinema full of families, maybe the most endearing part of that experience was having a child yell out “holy moley” during that final slow motion shot and having the crowd of kids erupt in cheers as if we were in a real game of roarball. It was sweet and wholesome. 

You Can’t Help But Leave The Movies Feeling Goated

GOAT is a feel good movie. Discounting the fact that this is an animated kids movie, there’s always value that comes with films that lead with love and community. There are definitely moments that have laced in jokes for adults that are made to go right past children’s heads, which is always appreciated. But my tell of a great animated movie is if it evokes any type of emotion in you. And the loser to winner pipeline is an easy and effective way to get those emotions running.

Header Image Credit: Sony Pictures Animation