A Goofy Movie (1995)

Don't laugh, but I think that "A Goofy Movie" is one of the greatest father-and-son-bonding films ever made. Back in 1995, I was 11 years old and I remember enjoying this movie very much. I saw it several times in my youth but actually I hadn't seen it in almost 10 years. Today I had, let me say, the pleasure of seeing it again. A movie with Goofy was late in coming. Every other Disney character had feature films long before. The 1990s generation could not be very Goofy prone, but Disney was ridding high in her second golden age, and the changing values of the 80s and 90s created the opportunity to actually focus the film on Max, Goofy's son, and not on Goofy. A small production of only 70 minutes, the film has very few scenes but is beautifully structured and simple, with every scene making sense, and having a delicate balance between your classic Disney moral, funny sequence and motives to push the story forward. Its Max's last day of school and he pulls a stunt while trying to impress Roxanne, his first love. He succeeds with her but not with the principal, who calls Goofy and makes threats about the boy's future, which are corroborated by the great Pete. And so Goofy decides to go on a father and son trip across the States, ruining the Summer love for Max. Before leaving, Max tells the girl, to impress her, and because he is ashamed of his father, that he his going to the rock concert of the world famous and youth idol Powerline, and that he is going to play with him on stage. So the rest of the movie, as father and son run across the country facing amusing characters and sequences, Max tries to boycott the father's trip to Lake Destiny and go to LA instead. Ultimately, father and son are bound to bond amidst their adventures and misadventures. Great moments include the opening scene, the run in with Big Foot, Pete's RV and, off course, Powerline's concert (not much secret that they would make it there!). The singing voice of Powerline is by teen prodigy Tevin Campbell, 18 years old at the time. Whatever happened to him, one may ask?! Because his voice, being of the same tone, was truly better than Michael Jackson's!!! Believe you me. His two pop songs "Stand Out" and "I2I" are much more than 90s products, are 90s products with an incredible amount of quality. Carter Burwell (Coen Brother's usual composer) was not a normal Disney choice but did a good job, more so on the three song the film has than actually on the underscore, which passes plainly enough. But "After today" is a teen hymn and a Grease-like homage and "Nobody Else but you" alone is enough for us to understand how father and son become connected at the climax, without the use of lame dialogue and scenes. The proves that this is a secondary Disney production (as related to the huge contemporary releases of Lion King and Pocahontas) are evident sometimes, as for example lesser care on background drawing. But the foreground quality is there, the screenplay is concise but very effective, and the ultimate moral that the clash of generations can be overcome by understanding is implied without any straightforward lame saying. Unfortunately, I think the movie has lost its target audience. Teenagers nowadays may not find the movie very magical as they did in the 90s. But younger people will still discover its beauty, and sensitive adults to Disney fantasies will forever love it, as I do. Straightforward but with quality, emotional but not corny, funny without overdoing it, and with a great set of songs. Amazing. Its Disney through and through. Director Kevin Lima would go on to do Tarzan (1999) or Enchanted (2007), but in his first movie as director, he not only delivered, he truly created a Disney classic for generations to come. Great movie to own, and see every few years with the family. One question will bug me forever though: I guess if Goofy has a son there had to be a Mrs. Goofy! What the hell happened to her?