Not Just a Goof

A Goofy Movie was always one of my favorite Disney animated films, but it never seemed to get the recognition it deserved. This documentary puts that into perspective for all fans of the film. It goes to show there is way more love for A Goofy Movie than anyone ever knew.

The writer and director of the documentary did some great interviews with cast members Bill Farmer and Jason Marsden, the producers and mostly, director Kevin Lima. A Goofy Movie was a work of love by those who made the film, and it's great to see how much they cared. It's hard to believe the studio didn't have as much faith in the film even though it was based on a core Disney character.

I was extremely surprised that Jeffrey Katzenberg was wanting Goofy not to have his iconic voice, but rather have him voiced by Steve Martin. How weird that would have been. I'm so glad they didn't go in that direction. And even though Katzenberg seems insane for that idea, he was still behind the film until the day he was fired.

It's been 30 years since released and it's awesome to see what an impact A Goofy Movie has had on audiences of multiple generations and across all ethnic groups. It is one of the more memorable films of my childhood and I'm so glad it's still so popular.

Would watch A Goofy Movie (1995) and Goof Troop (the series that it spun off from) many times in my childhood. Both have aged quite nicely in my opinion and seeing that Disney+ was releasing a documentary about the making of the film to coincide with its' 30th anniversary I was quite intrigued to see what happened behind the scenes.

The documentary shines a light into a lot of things that transpired during the making of the film. This was Kevin Lima's first directorial effort, the crew didn't have as much money to work with compared to other features Walt Disney Animation Studios was developing like The Lion King (1994) and Pocahontas, and Jeffrey Katzenberg was both the project's biggest challenge and cheerleader - for instance, the rumor that Steve Martin was suggested to voice Goofy instead of Bill Farmer? It turns out it is true, and Katzenberg even wanted him to use his regular speaking voice - thank goodness director Kevin Lima believed in Farmer and had him redo some of his lines with his normal voice which proved to Katzenberg his idea to recast was the wrong one to have.

Katzenberg's exit from the studio did not do the movie any favors though, as their marketing budget got slashed, and they were unable to make a strong impact at the box office, but luckily it found success in syndication and on home video release and it is regarded as a classic.

Definitely a delightful and insightful documentary. The 2D animated flashbacks were also a nice and humorous touch.

Sometimes, there exists little corners of pop culture that are transformational for a generation. 1995's A Goofy Movie is one of those "pockets". Despite being a critical flop, the heartwarming messages and sheer entertainment value of the film helped born-in-the-80s-and-growing-up-in-the-90s kids navigate adolescence. Not Just A Goof Is a tribute to that legacy.

For the most part, Not Just A Goof is a pretty straightforward "behind the scenes" doc. A lot of archival footage/interviews were recently discovered and put to solid use here. Granted, these are also the most "boring" parts of the doc, so to speak. The material is fine--there's just too much time spent on the technical "making of" film specs and less about legacy.

Fortunately, there are enough highlights here to largely ameliorate those concerns. One is the segment on the music of the film. Truly remarkable how The Goofy Movie team somewhat stumbled into a group of musicians that made the songs of the film stand the test of time.

Then, the last 20 minutes of the doc are absolutely riveting--as that is when the film's legacy is discussed. It remains somewhat unreal (to the fans and the creators alike!) that The Goofy Movie has not only achieved cult status, but even vaulted far above that to headline Disney expositions and becoming an out-and-out 90s classic.

Truth be told, a bit more time could have been spent on "legacy" and a bit less on "nuts and bolts of filmmaking" and Not Just A Goof would have been even better. But as a card-carrying "Goofy Movie kid" through and through, it was still fun to recall that magical mid-90s period and recall how a classic Disney character transcended those roots and inspired a generation.

The "Not Just a Goof" documentary takes a deep dive into the making of *A Goofy Movie*, offering insights into the movie's dialogue, animation, music, and production.

It explores the behind-the-scenes process, shedding light on the creative challenges and triumphs that shaped this beloved film. I found the documentary to be well-crafted and enjoyable, especially the added animation elements, which were both creative and engaging. However, as someone from Gen Z who didn't grow up with Goofy and only watched the movie years after its release, I struggled to fully grasp the documentary's overall purpose. While I didn't personally find the need for a documentary on the film, I can see how it would be a treasure for long-time fans of *A Goofy Movie* or those interested in movie-making behind the scenes. For them, this documentary is definitely a must-watch.

A Goofy Movie (1995) is my third favorite Disney animated movie of all time and this documentary movie is one of the best movie documentaries I've watched in a long time.

Positives for Not Just a Goof (2025): It was fascinating to watch this documentary on a movie that I am surprised failed at first and manage to grow legs over time. It was nice to see these interviews with people who genuinely cared about making this movie. It was also nice to see clips of fans and critics saying awesome things about the movie. I loved seeing the concept arts for this movie. And finally, it was just nice see Disney finally acknowledge this movie for its greatness.

Overall, Not Just a Goof (2025) is a wonderful documentary movie on a phenomenal Disney animated movie.