By Michael Lyons
“It’s Hard to be Cool, When Your Dad is Goofy.” This “tagline” on the poster of “A Goofy Movie,” sums up why the film has developed such a strong, devoted following over two decades since its release.
Based on “Goof Troop,” the popular “Disney Afternoon” TV series at the time, “A Goofy Movie” is more than just a big-screen “cash grab.” Like many of the more popular Disney animated films from the “Second Golden Age,” “A Goofy Movie” has heart, humor and wonderful animation, as well as great messages about the bond between fathers and sons.
There’s few better movies that are perfect for Father’s Day and with this year marking the 25th anniversary of “A Goofy Movie,” there’s also no better time to celebrate this often overlooked film.
The film centers on Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer, who has been providing the character’s voice for over thirty years) and his son Max (Jason Marsden) embarking on a father-son road trip, just as school gets out for summer vacation.
Max wants nothing to do with the trip, he would rather stay home, near Roxanne (Kelly Martin), who he has a crush on. Roxanne, you see, is planning a big party, where everyone is going to watch the concert of their favorite singer, Powerline.
Goofy, convinced that Max is heading down the wrong path, after he gets in trouble at school, feels that this time together, traveling to fish at “Lake Destiny,” is important to save their relationship.
At the helm of “A Goofy Movie” was director Kevin Lima, who would go on to co-direct Disney’s animated “Tarzan” and the Studio’s live-action “Enchanted,” among others.
Lima crafts a film that’s filled with some hysterical turns, including a run-in with Bigfoot that features some amazing sight gags and physical humor and a stop at “Lester’s Possum Park,” which satirically pokes fun at cheesy roadside attractions, as well as Disney classic theme park animatronics.
“A Goofy Movie” is also a musical, and a really upbeat and infectious one at that. Some of the standouts are “After Today,” which opens the film and perfectly captures the last day of school and “On the Open Road” is a great show stopper that celebrates Goofy and Max embarking on their road trip.
There’s also the amazingly animated and energetic “Stand Out” and “I2I,” when Goofy and Max eventually crash the Powerline concert and all perform on stage.
Throughout all of this... “Goofy”-ness, are some quiet, touching moments between Goofy and Max, as they struggle to and eventually do, better understand each other.
Released on April 7, 1995 and sandwiched between a November 1994 re-release of “The Lion King” and the mammoth summer ‘95 release of “Pocahontas,” “A Goofy Movie” was somewhat overlooked during its initial theatrical run.
As it wasn’t produced by Walt Disney Feature animation, but instead by their “MovieToon Studio,” the film also doesn’t get counted as one of the Studio’s “official list” of animated features.
However, over the past twenty-five years, “A Goofy Movie” has developed quite the fan base, particularly from the generation who grew up with the film and many others who love it for it’s sheer nostalgic value (it is SO ‘90’s!)
Most of all, “A Goofy Movie” is remembered for its message, that’s hidden underneath all of its cartoon fun. The film speaks to how fathers, sons and families should learn to embrace their differences and with that understanding, that age old generation gap can be easily bridged.
Nothing Goofy about that, at all.
Wishing everyone a Safe and Happy Father’s Day.
Sources:
IMDb
Wikipedia
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