Young goat Will Harris (Caleb McLaughlin) idolises roarball player Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union), and hopes to one day follow in her footsteps. After going viral after a run-in with Lava Coast Magma player Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre), Will is signed to the Vineland Thorns by their manager Flo (Jenifer Lewis). Now training alongside Jett, Will is disheartened when his idol is anything but welcoming to him. Benched initially during games, Will is drafted in when Jett is forced to sit out following a foul and takes his shot to prove he’s got what it takes to be part of the team.
‘GOAT’ is an animated comedy aimed at families, and it takes the very familiar overcoming adversity theme that is so often at the heart of these kinds of films. Will loses his mother when he’s still young and struggles to find his place in the world. Before being signed to the Vines, he’s on the verge of being homeless so the opportunity is too good to pass up. Once on the team though, the film switches to a cautionary tale about chasing your dreams and finding out that everything isn’t as you hoped it would be.
There’s also a warning for kids about idolising celebrities and never meeting your heroes. Will is so excited to be in the same orbit as Jett that he is brought crashing down to earth when she’s immediately resentful towards him. Will’s character exhibits a great deal of perseverance, which may be inspiring to young people, and it helps to tell his underdog story.
The best parts of ‘GOAT’ are the roarball matches. Kids will love them because they’re loud and chaotic, and it’s one of the few times that the film moves past second gear. As the story is so formulaic, it’ll be hard to hold the interest of parents so at least the fast-paced games are something to look forward to. In some ways, the film may have worked better as a video game – at least in that format it wouldn’t have had to worry too much about the story.
The film largely succeeds thanks to the commitment of the voice cast. ‘Stranger Things’ star Caleb McLaughlin brings considerable charm as central character Will, while Gabrielle Union has a lot of fun as Jett. Jenifer Lewis is a scene stealer as the dastardly Flo and Aaron Pierre impresses as the film’s bad guy Mane Attraction. There’s a hip-hop theme that runs throughout the film, meaning that the film has a solid soundtrack too.
‘GOAT’ is a perfectly enjoyable family film but it doesn’t really have anything new to say. It’s zippy and occasionally funny, but the storyline has been tried and tested plenty of times before. Kids will get a kick out of the film, thanks in large part to the cast of colourful characters, but ‘GOAT’ is unlikely to go down as an animated classic. The film did well at the box office so a sequel seems likely, and if it does get one, it needs to step things up to stand out from the pack.
Cast: Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Curry, Aaron Pierre, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Jenifer Lewis Director: Tyree Dillihay & Adam Rosette Writers: Aaron Buchsbaum, Teddy Riley & Nicolas Curcio Certificate: PG Duration: 100 mins Released by: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Release date: Tuesday 7th April 2026 Buy ‘GOAT’ now
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