In the first half of the 1990s, the Disney Renaissance practically dominated the theatrical animation media, so everyone who went to see the latest animated Disney flick knew what they were getting with fantasy, fun filled heroes and Broadway musical numbers. This would make any alternative Disney flick stick out from the crowd, such as the holiday cult favorite Nightmare Before Christmas and the surprisingly upbeat and emotional romp A Goofy Movie. What could have just been another dated 1990s film for its time ended up lasting long enough to gain a huge cult following from those who grew up with it, and understandably so.
The movie follows Goofy trying to take his rebellious teenage son Max on a fishing trip so that they don't drift away from one another, yet he's unintentionally interfering with Max's social life, particularly with his high school crush Roxanne. Conceptually, the film does have the typical liar subplot where the main character has to go through an arch by making stuff up due to unfortunate circumstances and the usual father-son relationship we've seen in other films. However, what saves the movie is the execution of said father-son relationship, as the feature focuses on the pros and cons of Goofy and Max, not one specifically. You relate to Max not wanting to go on such a befuddling trip, but you also feel bad for Goofy due to his concern for Max's well being. As the road trip takes up most of the run time, it develops the nutty dad and rockstar son's relationship through crazy antics and heartfelt camaraderie. Whether it means encountering Bigfoot, getting stuck in the water or ending up in a rock & roll concert, this just may be one of the most unpredictable father-son bonds in cinema history.
In addition to a heartfelt relationship, the film knows when to have fun with itself, especially during the musical numbers. After Today in particular does a swell job establishing Max's status at his high school and the students there as whole through high spirited dances and catchy lyrics any high schooler can relate to. Most of the other songs keep the story going while showcasing highly creative choreography and elaborate set pieces, especially On the Open Road and Nobody Else But You, with the one exception being Lester's Possum Park being more a funny filler quip. If there's any musical show stopper, it would have to be Eye to Eye, as it displays the coolest dance sequences, the highest amount of energy, and an amazing blend of lights and shadows. Speaking of all that technical stuff, the film's animation is more fluid and smooth than it could have been. The character animation brings the already cartoony designs to life through specific acting, the backgrounds are neatly colored without looking too saturated, and the mixes of cel shaded CGI blend in to the point of barely noticing.
Another added bonus is the voice acting, especially from Goofy's voice Bill Farmer. As legendary as Pinto Colvig was, Farmer brought both the lovable goofball side to the character and a deep amount of emotive pathos that no one had ever seen before from such a famed comic star. In addition, Jason Marsden brings a good amount of cynicism and dorkiness to Max, Jim Cummings is delightfully hammy yet also menacingly cunning as Pete, Rob Paulsen really knows how to dumb-down PJ with his naive worrisome demeanor, and both Kellie Martin and Jenna von Oy are charmingly quirky as Roxanne and Stacey. Also, to anyone who cannot stand Pauley Shore, this may be the only movie he's been in where his laid-back slacker lingo fits given how much of a degenerate Bobby is (seriously, who eats THAT much cheese whizz in one gulp?). Wallace Shawn as well, despite what little screen time his character has, plays a great role in setting the record straight to Goofy on what to do with his bizarre son. Among a cast of others from hysterical children, to janky possum animatronics, the aforementioned Bigfoot and a Tevin Campbell performed pop star celebrity are some of the most fascinatingly hysterical characters in the Disney feature collection.
The most unfortunate thing about A Goofy Movie is that most critics unfairly compared it to the higher bar Disney features at the time, which in turn led it to be discarded for many years until its cult following grew into mainstream recognition. Sure the film may be outlandish, but who would want it any other way? It's dated and timeless in all the right ways for its awesome music, nostalgic throwbacks, deep routed themes on parental and offspring growth and continuing Goofy's legacy with respect and silliness. As the film said perfectly, one way or another, if we listen to each other's heart, we'll find that we're never too far apart.
The movie follows Goofy trying to take his rebellious teenage son Max on a fishing trip so that they don't drift away from one another, yet he's unintentionally interfering with Max's social life, particularly with his high school crush Roxanne. Conceptually, the film does have the typical liar subplot where the main character has to go through an arch by making stuff up due to unfortunate circumstances and the usual father-son relationship we've seen in other films. However, what saves the movie is the execution of said father-son relationship, as the feature focuses on the pros and cons of Goofy and Max, not one specifically. You relate to Max not wanting to go on such a befuddling trip, but you also feel bad for Goofy due to his concern for Max's well being. As the road trip takes up most of the run time, it develops the nutty dad and rockstar son's relationship through crazy antics and heartfelt camaraderie. Whether it means encountering Bigfoot, getting stuck in the water or ending up in a rock & roll concert, this just may be one of the most unpredictable father-son bonds in cinema history.
In addition to a heartfelt relationship, the film knows when to have fun with itself, especially during the musical numbers. After Today in particular does a swell job establishing Max's status at his high school and the students there as whole through high spirited dances and catchy lyrics any high schooler can relate to. Most of the other songs keep the story going while showcasing highly creative choreography and elaborate set pieces, especially On the Open Road and Nobody Else But You, with the one exception being Lester's Possum Park being more a funny filler quip. If there's any musical show stopper, it would have to be Eye to Eye, as it displays the coolest dance sequences, the highest amount of energy, and an amazing blend of lights and shadows. Speaking of all that technical stuff, the film's animation is more fluid and smooth than it could have been. The character animation brings the already cartoony designs to life through specific acting, the backgrounds are neatly colored without looking too saturated, and the mixes of cel shaded CGI blend in to the point of barely noticing.
Another added bonus is the voice acting, especially from Goofy's voice Bill Farmer. As legendary as Pinto Colvig was, Farmer brought both the lovable goofball side to the character and a deep amount of emotive pathos that no one had ever seen before from such a famed comic star. In addition, Jason Marsden brings a good amount of cynicism and dorkiness to Max, Jim Cummings is delightfully hammy yet also menacingly cunning as Pete, Rob Paulsen really knows how to dumb-down PJ with his naive worrisome demeanor, and both Kellie Martin and Jenna von Oy are charmingly quirky as Roxanne and Stacey. Also, to anyone who cannot stand Pauley Shore, this may be the only movie he's been in where his laid-back slacker lingo fits given how much of a degenerate Bobby is (seriously, who eats THAT much cheese whizz in one gulp?). Wallace Shawn as well, despite what little screen time his character has, plays a great role in setting the record straight to Goofy on what to do with his bizarre son. Among a cast of others from hysterical children, to janky possum animatronics, the aforementioned Bigfoot and a Tevin Campbell performed pop star celebrity are some of the most fascinatingly hysterical characters in the Disney feature collection.
The most unfortunate thing about A Goofy Movie is that most critics unfairly compared it to the higher bar Disney features at the time, which in turn led it to be discarded for many years until its cult following grew into mainstream recognition. Sure the film may be outlandish, but who would want it any other way? It's dated and timeless in all the right ways for its awesome music, nostalgic throwbacks, deep routed themes on parental and offspring growth and continuing Goofy's legacy with respect and silliness. As the film said perfectly, one way or another, if we listen to each other's heart, we'll find that we're never too far apart.