This year, Sony released their animated sports film GOAT. I had seen it quite some time after it came out, and it is a heavily underrated movie full of zest and energy. While I have never been a huge fan of sports films, the way it is animated and its compelling story made me consider this my favorite movie of the year.
The movie follows a goat named Will, he’s struggling to keep a place to stay and works at his local diner. He has a passion for basketball, or otherwise called roarball in their world. He wants to prove himself and go into the big leagues as a small animal, since the league is overwhelmingly populated by large animals like zebras or pumas.
One thing I really like about roarball is that it is a mixed-gender sport. Both male and female animals compete in the sport and it’s not commentated at all, which works really well. By not calling attention to it, it allows for the viewer to naturally realize it. In fact, the best player in roarball is a woman, Jett Filmore, a puma who seems to be coming out of her prime.
Will looks up to Jett a lot, especially as a kid, she’s his favorite player. During the movie, Jett’s team manager, Flo, recruits him after a viral video comes out about his local games and Jett requests a better team by any means necessary.
Jett doesn’t like Will at first due to the fact that he is very small, but throughout the movie he continues to prove himself, and they both learn something about being a good teammate and improving teamwork.
Overall the movie is great, and while it’s not something trying to tell a big, momentous message, nor is it trying to push the animation medium to its extremes, it’s an outstanding movie for both children and general audiences.
It is super inclusive without it being in your face about it outside of its simple message of not judging a book by its cover. On top of that, it grounds itself in youth culture extremely well, it uses slang in a way where it doesn’t seem forced or like someone older is using it in an extremely clunky way. Its sense of community and culture is super apparent, like when Will goes to his local court to play but is warned of the local big animals that get upset if he plays in it.
On top of that, its use of vibrant colors and environments is incredible, it feels like a super fleshed out fictional game, when in reality it is essentially basketball, just with more fantastical courts and rules.
It really grabbed me each game, and you didn’t have to know the real sport in order to care for the fictional one. Each game was super high stakes and I found myself rooting for Will each game he played, even if it was just him practicing.
The way its animated is incredible, it uses super realistic animal anatomy while also making them move in a super natural way when put on two legs. The best part is that they switch between moving on 2 and 4 legs throughout the games, actually using their animal parts like their horns or wings to their advantage without it seeming unfair to match up a bird and a zebra. All the characters are very skilled in their own ways and it was overwhelmingly creative.
Overall, this movie really moved me, and almost made me wish for a lengthier runtime or sequel. As it is though, it is a wonderful standalone movie with a lot of messages that I believe should really hit with a younger audience.
