By Jocelyn Farias,
Staff Writer.
GOAT is an animated film inspired by NBA player Stephen Curry’s journey, showcasing his resilience, teamwork and perseverance. GOAT was released in theaters on Feb. 13 and was directed by Tyree Dillihay with Curry himself as an executive producer. Since the movie’s release, it has received a wide range of reviews.
Curry is not the only well-known celebrity to have a role as a voice actor in the movie. Specifically, Stranger Things actor Caleb McLaughlin, known for his role as Lucas, along with his co-actors David Harbour (Jim Hopper) and Eduardo Franco (Argyle). GOAT follows the literal goat protagonist Will Harris, voiced by McLaughlin, who is smaller than the other animals. It has been his lifelong dream to play “Roarball,” a very dangerous and high-stakes version of basketball. The premise of the movie is to show Curry’s journey as an “underdog” to making it into the NBA, illustrating how passionate, optimistic and resilient Curry had to be to get to where he is now.
Beyond the inspirational story, the animation style itself has received many positive reviews, with many people comparing it to the Into the Spiderverse movies. It’s a visually stunning 2D and 3D blend to create a textured and vibrant world that keeps both children and adults engaged. The quick moving shots during the “Roarball” games resemble those present in actual basketball games, adding to the movie’s action-based appeal. “I thought it was a really good movie. I loved it. I liked all the references it makes to real live basketball players and shoe deals like real shoes and stuff,” said junior Peyton Patrick. Not only do the quick frame shifts improve the movie but so does the music, making the important moments more impactful. Both together makes the audience feel Will Harris’ endurance and passion for roarball.
While some may say that the movie is just like every other underdog movie, it still doesn’t take away from the emotional impact of those plots. Timeless themes perform well, and GOAT does an excellent job of capturing Curry’s struggles.
