4 Reasons Why A Goofy Movie is the Most Powerful Disney Movie Ever
If I asked any Billy Joe-Bob off the street what their favorite Disney movie is, chances are they would name one from the Disney Renaissance. This period of great animation during the 1990s is marked with a plethora of defining Disney films from Mulan to The Little Mermaid (ok, it actually came out in 1989 but that’s close enough. Sue me.).
But there is one Disney film from his era that is notoriously underrated and, unfortunately, forgotten: 1995’s A Goofy Movie (here’s the wiki if you’re uncultured). Now you might be thinking, “Well if it’s always forgotten, then it must be pretty forgettable, right?” Wrong. A Goofy Movie is one of the greatest Disney films ever made, and here are 4 reasons why.
Prepare to get goofy, y’all.
1. It’s grounded in realism
For nearly a century, Disney films have been hailed for their beautiful capturing of fantastical stories from curse-induced slumbers to super powered families. Because of that, the Disney brand is often associated with “magic” rather than “reality.”
Thus, when moving messages about life are made, there always exists a disconnect between the viewer and the story because, well frankly, I’d understand true freedom too if I had a magic flying carpet of my own (looking at you, Aladdin).
So for all of the trophies that exist in Disney’s cinematic pantheon, their fantasy tales aren’t realistic enough to completely click on all cylinders for a general audience. And that’s why A Goofy Movie is so great. It prides itself with how relatable it is.
Director Kevin Lima’s choice to take Goofy and Max, iconic Disney characters known especially for their wacky antics, and highlight their single-parent dynamic makes for a substantially more compelling movie. The two tackle real and universal problems that countless families around the world face every day.
They grapple with Max’s changing perspectives as he progresses through his teenage years, Goofy’s forced changes to his role as a father because of Max’s growing up, and ultimately how the two can salvage their relationship.
There are no evil queens or fire-breathing dragons here but some of the most down-to-earth problems pitted against protagonists who express genuine desires and depressions that all of us feel in our lives. Now that’s some deep stuff, and that’s what makes the movie so relatable.
2. Goofy is parenting done right
It really can’t be sugarcoated: parenting is hard.
There’s no “absolute formula” for it, any advice book is just filled with fluff, and all your efforts may still come to no avail. And yet Goofy serves as a paragon for everything a parent can do right.
In Disney films, fathers serve as “caring rulers” for their children and “insight providers.” However, as seen in many Disney films about rebellious teenage youth *cough cough* The Little Mermaid *cough cough*, being an imposing figure in children’s lives no matter how caring you are is not the most effective way to parent.
And that’s what Goofy changes about the formula. When his friend Pete suggests that Goofy “keep Max under his thumb,” Goofy attempts to be a no-nonsense father that orders Max around.
But Goofy later realizes that that isn’t the kind of relationship he wants with his son; Goofy would rather have a healthy connection with Max based on mutual respect and trust—not fear and subordination.
Goofy stops trying to be what he is not, and his relationship with Max begins to heal. In fact, the two go on a music-montage filled with activities that both of them can enjoy together. Now if that isn’t some good-ol’ father-son bonding, then I don’t know what is.
On top of this, Goofy easily fulfills the second pillar of fatherhood; Goofy frequently provides meaningful messages for Max.
From the onset of their road trip, Goofy tells Max that the reason they are going on this trip is because Goofy is “not giving up on [him],” and they “are going to work this out.” Goofy explains that he doesn’t want their relationship to die and is determined to make it better, perfectly addressing the elephant in the car that the two will eventually have to face.
Furthermore, Goofy gives the most powerful and moving messages of the movie during the climax. As the father-son duo careen down a tumultuous river (a not-so subtle metaphor for their relationship), Max asserts that he has grown up and is his own person now. To which Goofy drops this tear-jerker of a response, “I know that; I just wanted to be a part of it. You’re my son, Max. No matter how big you get, you’ll always be my son.” Brb, crying right now.
Goofy articulates the heart-and-soul moral of his adventures with Max in the simplest and yet most moving way possible. He cares for his son without ever domineering over him. Face it: Goofy is the best Disney dad ever. Just look at him.
3. It’s a father-son road trip movie
Now I know what you’re saying. How is this an important reason? Well let me explain. Road trip movies (when done correctly) can be a great metaphor for the passage of time/change between the characters on the journey.
For fathers and sons, it tends to be about the changes that have come into their relationship due to their growing up over time. Sound like something familiar? Hint: that’s the plot of A Goofy Movie.
The road trip genre has been a tragically underexplored by Disney films so this movie provides a new type of film with a compelling story to pull viewers in. On top of this, it follows the same tropes of any other great road trip movie: a father and son with a waning relationship go on an adventure together, both are apprehensive on how it will go, their interests clash due to the differences that have come between them from time, they reassess where they stand together, they walk away from the trip with better senses for who they are as individuals and as a family.
Goofy and Max undergo this experience and, in Disney-happy-ending fashion, leave their trip with a newfound understanding of each other: Goofy realizes that Max isn’t a little boy anymore and has his own independence to follow while Max realizes that Goofy just wants to be there and go along for the ride with him.
A Goofy Movie is a gold standard for road trip movies.
4. It has a message for parents as well as their kids
A lot of times, people associate Disney films with solely a child-based audience. If there are any parents in the theater, it’s because they brought their kids there. But A Goofy Movie changes this.
Sure, it has a message for its younger audiences (“don’t be a jerk to your parents” or “don’t lie to your parents”).
But it also has a poignant message for the adults watching: your kids are going to grow up so don’t fight it—grow up with them.
A Goofy Movie was making parents cry long before the opening sequence in Up.
This is perhaps the greatest reason why the movie is so powerful. It is so relevant to the lives of so many people from single fathers to angst-y teenagers to regular family units out to a movie.
A Goofy Movie takes the lighthearted Disney brand and makes it into something so very real and so very moving for a lot of people. I saw my parallels in the Goof family; didn’t you?
It’s about time we all got a little very goofy.
