‘Goat’: A Simple, But Gorgeous Time
Ever since the release of Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, there has been a shift from the popular Pixar style of animation that blends cartoonish proportions with realistic environments, to a more stylized hybrid of 2D and 3D animation, with cell-shaded backgrounds and frame rate variations for characters and action. Films such as Dreamworks’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem have both employed their own version of this animation style. Meanwhile, Sony continues to lead the pack with this style, with a sequel to Into the Spider-Verse pushing the style to its limits and, more recently, the smash hit of KPop Demon Hunters combining the style with energetic musical numbers. Goat is yet another in Sony’s line of new animated films of this style, employing its frenetic energy in a sports film. Does the film succeed in its ambitions? Yes, at least as far as animation goes.
Goat is an animated sports-comedy film directed by Tyree Dillihay, produced by professional basketball player Steph Curry, and based on Funky Dunks by Chris Tougas. The film takes place in a world of anthropomorphic animals, and follows Will Harris, voiced by Caleb McLaughlin, a small goat who aspires to be the greatest of all time (the GOAT) in a basketball-like sport known as Roarball. He is signed by his homeland team, the Vineland Thorns, who are on a losing streak and have failed to win a title, and their aging star player, Jett, played by Gabrielle Union, is not too pleased with Will’s signing. The film also has Aaron Pierre, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Stephen Curry, Jennifer Lewis, and Patton Oswalt in supporting roles.
Certainly, the first aspect to address is the animation, which is obviously sublime. The world of Goat is brought to vivid life with an amazing variety of character designs, all with unique quirks and excellent backgrounds and masterful blending of 2D and 3D elements. Every scene is a gorgeous display of artistry. A moment as simple as Jett getting in her car and rushing to the training ground is injected with frenetic pace and full of details indicating character. And that’s just a simple sequence of a character going from one place to another. The standout sequences are, of course, the Roarball set pieces. Incredible backgrounds, distinct characters, varied camera movement, and excellent pacing. Sony clearly haven’t lost touch with the style they pioneered, even if this film doesn’t quite have the detail and unique quality of their Spider-Verse films. There are a few moments of jarring animation whenever there are a few too many 3D models onscreen, causing scenes to look a little fake and thus breaking the immersion for just a moment. It stands out in a film with such fast pacing.
But excellent animation does not entirely make a film; there must be substance to go along with the style. The plot, narrative structure, and characters are somewhat generic, all fitting into standard sports film archetypes. The protagonist is a young up-and-coming talent with dreams of glory who is initially judged for his size and is bullied by his fellow teammates. Jett is an aging star with only one chance left at glory and is angry at a youngster seemingly taking her place. Anyone can predict the story’s direction, and the film very much lacks subtlety when it comes to its themes and ideas. Size doesn’t matter; it’s all about what is in the heart and, more importantly, putting the team first. The billionaire owner is the true villain, and there is a standard bullish rival. This is by far the weakest aspect of the plot. The finale hinges on a conflict against an antagonist who is painfully basic and underdeveloped, which results in an underwhelming climax even if the animation is gorgeous.
However, the strong voice acting and certain small plot beats keep the film from feeling like a general repeat of ideas that have come before. There is an authenticity and soul to the story that make it feel genuine. The characters might be simple, but the actors inject enough personality to make them feel real. The comedic elements are also top-notch, with plenty of strong visual humor, slapstick, and quips, which endear the viewer to the characters. The emotional beats, specifically with Will’s story and Jett’s arc, hit surprisingly hard, despite being simple.
The voice acting on the whole is excellent. Caleb McLaughlin plays Will perfectly, making him easily like-able and endearing. The small goat has talent, and a unique aspect about this film that keeps it from being fully generic is Will’s confidence in his own abilities. Other films would have the protagonist go through rigorous training and constant beratement, but Goat wisely decides to move past that quickly, focusing more on his relationship with Jett. McLaughlin brings it in the emotional moments too, mainly when Will speaks of his mother, and his performance is enough to make the emotions have weight.
The other standout cast member is Gabrielle Union as Jett Fillmore. The archetype of the aging athlete who wants to get one last win has been done time and time again, but when it’s done well, it can be incredibly emotional. The film does well to develop Jett as more than just that as she battles with social media narratives that paint her as an almost player in addition to the prospect of being replaced as the star player. Union balances all these aspects of the character through her remarkable voice performance and carries the brunt of the film’s emotional weight. She also has excellent comedic timing and delivery. Paired with the animation, it is a perfect recipe for a great character.
Overall, Goat is a great time. The generic narrative and simple characters are done well enough to keep the audience invested, whilst the animation blows them away. There is enough substance under the style to make it endearing and easily rewatchable, especially for fans of the genre and of animation.