Sometimes, kids can find their parents a little embarrassing. They might not always be up to date on the latest trends. They can be prone to groan-inducing jokes. And sometimes, they may whisk you off on a cross-country fishing trip when least expected.
OK, that last example might be a tad specific, but that’s what Max is dealing with right now. After hijacking an end-of-school assembly, Max transformed his high school social status from “loser” to “school celebrity.” More importantly, he succeeded in getting the attention of his crush, Roxanne.
Yes, Max’s summer vacation is looking up—until his dad gets in the way. See, his dad is spooked that Max’s antics at the school assembly might portend more trouble down the road. It feels like Max is slipping away. And what better way to fix that than some good, old-fashioned father-son bonding time?
Hence, the cross-country fishing trip.
Max is less than thrilled. The trip will mean weeks away from home and, crucially, Roxanne. He’s terrified she’ll lose interest in him while he’s away. And there’s another thing: Max isn’t just a little embarrassed about his father. He’s mortified to be associated with him. He’s just so goofy.
Literally. Max’s dad is … Goofy.
Max cringes at his dad’s every “gawrsh” and “ah-hyuck.” They’re just so different. How could he stand going on a weekslong road trip with him?
Still, he has no choice. The elder Goof is bound and determined to reconnect with his son. Max is sure their road trip will be a disaster, and with good reason. When your father is Goofy, there are bound to be potholes.
But, in the end, it just might be those bumps in the road that bring father and son together.
Goofy loves his son and doesn’t want him to go down a troubled path. While these fears are overblown, he plans the road trip to reconnect with Max. And over the course of their trip, the father and son do start to connect.
This is highlighted in an honest and heartfelt conversation between the two: When Max expresses that he is older now and has his own life, Goofy acknowledges him but says, “You’re my son—no matter how big you get, you’ll always be my son.”
Part of the story’s conflict is driven by a lie that Max tells Roxanne. Eventually, with the encouragement of Goofy, he owns up to his fib and admits the truth to her.
Goofy wants to go on a fishing trip with Max because his father took him on the same trip when he was growing up, leading to many cherished memories. He’s also shown to be kind and caring to children.
Goofy revers the road-trip map that they use to navigate, a map that has been passed down several generations of Goof. Goofy says, “Whatever the map says, we’ll follow.” To which Max replies, “That’s very mystical, Dad.”
Several nuns appear as background characters in the film.
A Goofy Movie is a kids’ film, but that doesn’t stop the animators from inserting a few winking, suggestive nods at the adults watching. During a musical number, a man suggestively references the “odd, romantic episode” with (presumably) his wife. Backstage at a concert, Max ogles scantily clad dancers. Those dancers, and a few other female characters, are particularly curvy. At that same concert, Goofy stumbles into a dressing room and catches a glimpse of a woman in her underwear.
Max dreams of Roxanne in a flowing dress that shows a lot of leg. Roxanna pecks Max on the cheek, causing him to swoon. Later, he steals a quick kiss from her. When Max shares his feelings for Roxanne with his dad, Goofy says, “My Maxie … in love.”
We see a few women in bikinis. There are a few depictions of mermaids that wear skimpy shell bikini tops; one is a light fixture in a nautically themed motel whose shell top lights up when the light is turned on. Two students smooch behind school.
This being a movie starring Goofy, pratfalls and cartoonish violence make up much of the humor found here. It’s always done with silly, animated flair, but parents should be aware of its prevalence.
The most perilous moment, and the part that might most frighten younger viewers, entails Goofy and Max trying not to fall over the edge of a waterfall. For the most part, that moment is played straight, which gives the impression of serious danger. And we can juxtapose that scene with the other violent pratfalls in film, where characters are pummeled, electrocuted and even blown up with little consequence.
While driving, Goofy crashes into road construction and a fire hydrant. Later, the car runs free down a hill while smashing into rocks and eventually tumbles into a river—all while Max and Goofy try to regain control of the vehicle.
A baby tries to stick a fork into an electrical outlet until someone intervenes. Bigfoot attacks Max and Goofy. So does a horde of bats. A person is crushed by a falling piano. Someone is struck by a heavy RV door. A large fish bites a character’s leg.
Pete, Goofy’s friend, impersonates a police officer and imitates gunfire. The school principal falls through a trap door. A man in a possum costume is slapped and then mauled by a raucous group of children.
Max is about to use the word “h—” before being cut off. There are a few other instances of mildly rude language and name-calling, such as “heck,” “butt,” “spaz,” “doofus” and “dork.”
Goofy uses a car’s cigarette lighter to heat up a can of soup. A song lyric mentions a man seeming intoxicated.
Max lies throughout the film, first to Roxanne and then to his father as he tries to get to Los Angeles for a concert. Goofy eventually decides to help Max get into the concert, and the two sneak in through the backstage.
Goofy and Pete discuss their parenting styles: Pete is a very domineering parent and encourages Goofy to likewise keep Max “under his thumb.” While Pete wants his son’s respect, Goofy wants his son’s love. Pete is often unkind and takes pleasure in revealing Max’s duplicity to Goofy.
Goofy and Max don’t always wear their seatbelts in the car, and Goofy is often distracted while driving. During a musical number, a corpse sings and dances. One character becomes sick from riding a rollercoaster. (He vomits offscreen.)
A handful of characters are seen wearing only underwear. Others are draped in towels. A little girl slips out of her diaper and runs away, backside exposed. A woman hums Chopin’s “Funeral March.” A child attempts to hitchhike.
When Disney released A Goofy Movie in 1995, the film met with a mixed critical response and a modest box-office return. But in the years since its release, this animated movie has become something of a cult classic. So much so, in fact, that Disney celebrated the movie’s 30th anniversary and even released a documentary about its making.
I remember seeing A Goofy Movie as a child and liking it quite a bit, so I was eager to watch it again to see if it held up. And, after rewatching the film, it’s easy to see why this story has endured. Sure, there’s plenty of slapstick humor and sight gags, but the beating heart of this movie is found in the interactions between father and son. The silliness we see onscreen never saps the sincere (and even mature) way it presents Max and Goofy’s developing relationship.
There are content issues that parents should be aware of before showing this movie to younger kids. As noted, a bit of mildly rude language and suggestive nods to adults pop up here and there.
But, ultimately, a very positive message shines through the winks and pratfalls. A Goofy Movie is about a father and son who grow to love and understand each other on a deeper level—and that’s a story that sticks with you.
Bret loves a good story—be it a movie, show, or video game—and enjoys geeking out about things like plot and story structure. He has a blast reading and writing fiction and has penned several short stories and screenplays. He and his wife love to kayak the many beautiful Colorado lakes with their dog.
