NEWS

Starring Caleb McLaughlin as Will Harris, "Goat" sees aspiring athlete Will Harris attempting to compete in the large animal dominated, high contact, basketball-esque sport known as Roarball. After getting his big break, Will is put on a team of former greats, all with their own issues and insecurities. Will not only has to help repair the team, but also help them win their first championship trophy, all while proving that he can compete on their level.

A visual spectacle, "Goat" makes use of the environment and characters in ways few other movies do. Each Roarball court not only has a certain theme based on the environment, but the courts change in the fourth quarter to not only more closely resemble the environment but also provide new obstacles that the players have to adapt to. These obstacles can range from pillars to falling rocks to even the court falling apart. Notably, while the characters are mostly anthropomorphic, they will occasionally move like their natural counterparts. Many of them move on all fours during Roarball games, especially when the court changes, and Will (a goat) showcases his agility jumping from pillar to pillar.

"Goat," a nod to the great basketballer Stephen Curry, has a strong cast. Caleb McLaughlin gives a heartwarming performance as Will Harris, a down on his luck, small-town delivery-boy with a desire to prove himself. Maintaining a strong sense of optimism despite his circumstances, Will quickly ends up bonding with, and inspiring, the rest of his team. Gabrielle Union deftly plays Jett Fillmore with a wide range of emotion and skill, moving from diva to team player. And Nick Kroll lends his talent to the quirky character of Modo Olachenko. Stephen Curry, a producer of the film, also contributes his voice acting skills to the character of Lenny.

A family film, "Goat" leans more towards younger audiences, though there is plenty in the movie for all to enjoy. A very heartfelt film, "Goat" is one of the most creative family films to hit theaters in some time.

8/10