GOAT (Christian Movie Review)
A delight from start to finish, GOAT is one of the best animated films—and one of the better sports films of any variety—in recent memory.
About the Film
With endless sports commentary and debate about the G.O.A.T. (“Greatest of All Time”), it was only a matter of time before someone in Hollywood dared to ask, “What if the G.O.A.T was . . . a goat?” The result of that epiphany is GOAT, a charming mashup of Zootopia, Space Jam, and Rudy. The film doesn’t offer many surprises in its conventional underdog (undergoat?) story, but it executes its gameplan to perfection. A delight from start to finish, GOAT is one of the best animated films—and one of the better sports films of any variety—in recent memory.
The story will be familiar to anyone who has ever watched a sports movie, but it has the fun twist of being set within an immersive and energetic Zootopia-esque world of anthropomorphic animals. Willy (voiced by Caleb McLaughlin) is a diehard fan of Roarball (an animal version of basketball). Unfortunately, he’s an undersized goat, and only the so-called “bigs” like rhinos and gorillas ever make the league. When an opportunity arises to play for his beloved home team, he must prove the doubters wrong and show he has the skills—and heart—to compete. Again, GOAT doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but when has familiarity ever stopped kids from enjoying a movie?
The animation is superb. Following in the footsteps of the Spider-Verse movies (arguably the gold standard for vibrant animation), every scene is a visual treat. The stylized animation uses a hand-painted aesthetic that is both gorgeous and immersive. GOAT is also hilarious. There are occasional potty jokes that will make adults groan and kids chuckle, but most of the humor is clever and well earned. In recent years, there has been a growing sentiment that “animation is for everyone,” and GOAT is a prime example. It’s clearly targeting young viewers, but the story is surprisingly mature at times (with some deep, heartfelt moments and themes), resulting in a story that audiences of all ages can enjoy together. It’s a “family” film in the truest sense.
NBA superstar Stephen Curry (a professing Christian) served as a producer for the film. Yes, the story hits most of the expected clichés of a “Be a Pro” storyline in an NBA 2K video game, but a clear love and understanding of basketball and sports culture radiates from its heart. It’s not in the same league as Space Jam (Willy the goat can’t match Michael Jordan the G.O.A.T.), but I can imagine GOAT inspiring young athletes and basketball fans in a similar way.
The story itself isn’t always as strong as the film’s other elements. Several plot developments don’t make much sense other than as a means of manufacturing drama, and the “villain” (a rival player) is too absent to make much impact. There is also a lack of character growth. To my recollection, Willy only misses one shot in the entire film (during a private shootaround). Even the central tension of being “too small to play” becomes a non-factor in the games. The lack of any need for internal growth strips the plot of some dramatic impact and sense of forward motion. Once Willy joins the team, the narrative focus largely shifts to Jet (an aging legend seeking an elusive championship). While her story is interesting, it leaves the movie feeling disjointed and unfocused at times.
Even so, as a parent of young kids, the theme of relentlessly hanging onto the life lessons you’ve already been taught rather than failing and needing to re-learn them is a welcome change of pace. Not all wisdom must be learned through personal failure. Also, while Willy’s own journey lacks adversity, in the spirit of sportsmanship, the film focuses more on the team than the individual. They must all overcome obstacles—pride, lack of confidence, lost sense of purpose, etc.—together to win the championship. The script falters at times, but by the championship match, I was emotionally invested in the rag-tag team of animals.
In the end, GOAT is a wholesome and enjoyable film for all ages. While animated stories about talking animals aren’t novel, nor are conventional underdog stories, GOAT manages to establish a unique identity. At a time when Hollywood is frequently criticized for lacking creative inspiration, many of its best stories are being told through animation. The beautiful animation and the cast of quirky animals may get viewers into the theater, but it’s the uplifting story about staying grounded in our upbringing and convictions that make GOAT a true winner.
For Consideration
On the Surface—(Profanity, Sexual content, violence, etc.).
Language: There are some substitute words like “heck,” “gosh,” and “scat,” as well as several rude words like “sucks.” There are also some gags that use zoology terms like “cloaca” as a playful replacement for profanity (the characters seem to treat it like a cuss word).
Violence: None.
Sexuality: There is nothing explicit, although there is a repeated gag in which male animals express their admiration for male animal athletes. A female calls out for an athlete to marry her and then a male voice is heard saying, “No, marry me!” When a superstar player takes off his outer garments to prepare to play, a starstruck fan mutters, “Take it all off.” Whether instances like these represent actual same-sex attraction or merely a humorous “man crush” is unclear. There is a reference to an athlete’s “perfect pecks.”
Other: Characters play poker, and money is involved. Willy is a young adult rather than a kid, but he occasionally engages in reckless behavior some parents may feel uncomfortable with their kids mimicking.
Engage The Film
Dream Big & Roots Run Deep
The movie has the tagline, “You are never too small to dream big.” On the surface, it sounds like the sort of “just follow your heart” cliché animated films have promoted for decades. But GOAT sets itself apart from the typical shallow messaging by focusing on the reason to pursue these dreams. Rather than pushing a head-in-the-clouds message, the film takes the opposite approach.
Fans of the Thorns (the hometown Roarball team) have a traditional chant: “Roots run deep! Roots run deep!” That mantra encapsulates the film’s message. Yes, Willy has big dreams. But he pursues them for the right reasons—to honor his deceased mother and to bring joy to the ordinary people around him. In unique ways, the players on the team must rediscover and affirm their reason for playing.
Jesus used a similar metaphor in John 15:5, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit.” Our purpose is not to chase lofty goals but to stay rooted in Christ. We must grow downward before we can grow upward. While it doesn’t touch on any spiritual applications, GOAT provides an opportunity for parents to talk with younger viewers about staying rooted in the right foundation.
