GOON (2012)

Directed By: Michael Dowse Written By: Jay Baruchel & Evan Goldberg Based on the book: Goon: The true story of an unlikely journey into minor league Hockey By: Doug Smith & Adam Frattasio Cinematography By: Bobby Shore Editor: Reginald Harkema Cast: Seann William Scott, Liev Schrieber, Kim Coates, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Eugene Levy, Ricky Mabe, David PAetku, Marc-Andre Grondin, Nicholas Campbell Not content with his job as a bouncer at a local Beantown bar and a bit of an embarrassment to his accomplished family, Doug Glatt dreams of the kind of success enjoyed by minor league hockey goon Ross Rhea. When a chance encounter with an on-ice thug leads to a bloody fist fight that Doug easily wins, the coach of the Halifax Highlanders sees potential in this mammoth sized man who is only hampered by his lack of any hockey playing ability and his brother's old figure skates. Standing up to the taunts of the other players, Doug manages to join the team, and with the encouragement of his hockey obsessed best friend quickly becomes a rising star. Soon he'll have the opportunity to face off against Ross "The Boss" Rhea and perhaps finally land a girlfriend. Now - all he needs is to learn how to skate. This is an American feel good tale only told in Canada. The film is quite simple, Cut and dry Co-Star and Co-Writer Jay Baruchel wanted to make this film after reading the book it is based on and noticing there have been a serious lack of hockey comedies over the recent years. Seann William Scott scores creating a memorable character in this movie who is all heart. Dim, Sweet despite his tough exterior. He is also a excellent fighter. He is hilarious yet heartwarming. He feels like he has finally found his purpose despite his overachieving family who don’t support him except for his brother. He choose this film over Kevin Smith’s Upcoming hockey Comedy HIT SOMEBODY. I can see why if this film were a hit his character is definately a classic cult character in the making. He doesn’t get the best lines but he is memorable whenever he is on the screen. The side characters are given time to shine also, so that fills out the rest of the movie. This film could have easily been a film where there is one comedic character in the lead and the rest of the cast and situations revolve around him and his reaction to them. Instead it feels more of an ensemble as a few characters re ridiculous. I recognized quite a bit of the cast from other Canadian productions. This film could have easily been a one joke movie. Though it is gratuitous with it’s comedy in a few scenes the film’s humor is more subtle and the film grows on you. The fight scenes are more fun than vicious until towards the end. The film feels more real than a comedy except for a few scenes. Liev Schriber is awesome his character is wizened and knows his days are numbered and has a philosophical view on it all, he knows what is expected of him but he’s not going to go into retirement easily and go out his way. I’m sure the film has plenty of hockey and Canadian jokes but i was still able to follow it and find it funny. This film reminded me of what might have happened in the film HAPPY GILMORE. IF the character stayed with hockey instead of going to golf. Would this movie be the end result? The reason the film works so well is that the film has jokes, but most of it’s humor comes from it’s characters they are believable and damaged. They have off-screen problems that are rarely clearly defined or resolved. Yet they still serve the purpose of the film and are still outrageously funny. In fact that is one of the problems when the film finds you want it to continue if not only to find out what happens to all of the characters afterwards. Allison Pill really surprised me as the lead. A messed up girl with a heart of coal. Who is plain but is really quite sexy. A entertaining rental. GRADE: B