Der Goofy Film

This one seemed to pass without notice in the theaters which is what I figured it deserved, but upon seeing it some time later on video I was surprised at how much fun this buddies on the road flick really is.

Goofy is, for the most part, the lighthearted walking disaster we'd expect him to be. But surprsingly enough, he shows a serious range of emotion, and actually pulls it off. You really can sense his devotion to his son, Max, and you never have to remind yourself that Goofy would have ever been anything but a deeply caring father. It just works naturally as a genuine extension of his gregarious character. Max himself is believably adoloscent, primarily concerned with getting asked to parties and getting the pretty girl to notice him and hoping his father doesn't publicly humiliate him (which he does, frequently), until his dad forces him along on a fishing trip which becomes a test of conscience for the both of them. The movie mixes Goofy's classic slapstick comedy with serious drama and seems to know just when to switch gears to keep from getting too melodramatic or losing sight of the conflict at the center of the story. In the end, the dramatic bits feel surprisingly honest and human and the comedy is, as I said, classic Goofy schtick. It was made when Disney thought EVERYthing they did had to be a musical, but the songs here work into the story fairly easily, and a couple are even catchy.

The only sad part is that the age group which could probably stand to learn the most from it will unequivocally find it "uncool". Oh well, the younger set as well as more mature people who love to laugh will find it plenty entertaining.

When it comes to animated cartoon features, the delineating line is now almost as simple as "pre-Toy Story" and "post-Toy Story". Before that Disney-Pixar team-up cartoons in theaters were for kids and kids alone. Young kids, at that. What Toy Story proved, however, is that an animated flick could transcend that boundary and appeal to adults as well as children.

Just 6-7 or so scant months before Toy Story changed everything, A Goofy Movie premiered and largely got "lost in the shuffle", I believe. Had it dropped a bit later, perhaps it could have better captured the momentum. As it was, A Goofy Movie transfixed pre-teen adolescent audiences--including yours truly--for a (very) short time with its odd-yet-winning mix of music, humor, family relationships, and shenanigans.

For a basic plot summary, this story tells the story of Max (Jason Marsden), son of the infamous Goofy (Bill Farmer), going through his adolescence. Despite being extremely self-conscious of his appearance and gulp-like chuckle, he strives to win the attention of Roxanne (Kellie Martin). Just when things seem to be looking up on that front, Dad Goofy decides to take him on a weeks-long, father-son fishing excursion across the country. Max promises Roxanne he's going to the Driveline concert--the most popular band ever!--setting himself up for a tangled web of decisions and emotions out on the open road with Pops.

I know it sounds ridiculous considering this a cartoon starring Goofy, but I honestly believe this little film (about 78 minutes in total) could be watched 100 years from now and still have the same effect on viewers. I truly don't think this is a case of me suffering from "90s nostalgia" and rating this film higher because "I liked it as a kid".

The beginning of the film feels very much High School Musical-esque, with teen drama taking center stage. I don't care if it's 1995 or 2025, the concept of awkward teen boy trying to talk to/impress equally awkward teen girl is universal. The same can be said for when Max and Goofy hit the road together, as the tenuous relationship between pre-teen son and goofball father is once again ageless. Whether through great writing/directing or pure dumb luck, this movie stumbles upon a gold mine of relevant themes.

Like I said, if only Disney knew what they potential had at this point. No self-respecting adult would have willingly sat through this in theaters at the time (there was no precedent for that), and Disney had not yet figured out how to market such fare to wide audiences either. As a result, the movie gets sucked into a sort of "black hole" of quality content that had an extremely short shelf life.

The bottom line, though, is this: I watched A Goofy Movie while I was still in grade school and loved it. I watched it as a 33-year old adult...and still enjoyed it. All things considered, I view that as a remarkable achievement. Sadly, only those within a year or two (at most) proximity to myself will have any real knowledge/appreciation of this movie, but that set will show it to their children at some point, I can almost guarantee you that!

When I grew up I watched A Goofy Movie ritually, and it never ceased to entertain me. This is a great children's film and can still relate to today's kids. The humor is enjoyable, the characters are lovable. The music is definitely bearable, whereas with most musical animated films the songs can really grate on the nerves. Perhaps it's just because I practically was raised on this film that I enjoy it so much, but I have given it to my little brother and he loves it as well. It's a great experience for any kid and shouldn't be missed. It's even a little fun for adults, and I am not ashamed to say I still enjoy it as well. A Disney classic! 10/10

I do not see why this isn't on the Disney classics list. It is well animated, well scripted, heartwarming and it has better songs than many other Disney films. It deals with Goofy taking his son Max out on a road trip after Max sabotages an assembly. Meanwhile Max wants to stay so he can go to his favorite singer's concert and go out with his crush from school Roxanne. When compared to almost every other Disney cartoon, this one has more emotion. You feel genuinely sad or happy when Goofy and Max are getting along, or when Goofy is trying. I actually felt sad when Max gets mad at Goofy for taking him to the Possom show. It's a great movie, and I highly recommend any fan of animation find it.

My rating: *** 1/2 out of ****.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. It isn't my all time favourite Disney movie, but it is very entertaining and touching. The concept may be a little old fashioned, and the film could have been longer, but A Goofy Movie does have a very good message, good characters and a good balance of humour and sentiments while providing an accurate take on life as an adolescent. The animation is really lovely, the backgrounds are beautiful to look at and the colours are audacious. The music is funky and nostalgic, and the story is sweet and realistic, even if it is quite ordinary but I don't particularly see anything wrong with that. I also loved the sight gags, the funny things Goofy says and the touching moments especially in the latter half of the film. And the characters are great, Goofy can't do anything right, then again he was like that in the original cartoons and that's why we love him, and Max is an appealing and not bland teenager. It was also nice to see Pete, and Roxann is really sweet and cute. I also thought Max's and Roxann's relationship was really sweet. Also the voice acting is great, Bill Farmer is amusing as Goofy and Jason Marsden is on the money as Max as is Jim Cummings as Pete. Overall, entertaining and touching. 8/10 Bethany Cox