Sony Pictures Animation is hitting the hardwood on February 13 with the studio’s latest animated feature, GOAT. The uplifting underdog story, starring the voices of Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Nick Kroll, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Steph Curry, Patton Oswalt, and Jenifer Lewis, takes place in Vineland. In this breathtaking metropolis, roarball, a full-contact, co-ed version of basketball, is deeply woven into the culture. Vineland has never won the Claw, a trophy not unlike the Stanley Cup, but this season, they’re going to bring the prize home with some help from the home team’s most unlikely player, Will, a little goat with a big heart.
During the lead-up to GOAT‘s release, we were lucky enough to play ball for a few minutes with Caleb McLaughlin (Will Harris) and Gabrielle Union (Jett Fillmore), the two star players of the Vineland Thorns. During our chat with the dynamic duo, McLaughlin and Union discussed their favorite aspects of contributing to an underdog story that audiences can resonate with. Unfortunately, our time together was short (delays in scheduling cut everyone’s spots short), but we did manage to talk about real-life GOATs, such as the man, the myth, the star of Space Jam: Michael Jordan. Union knows what’s up.
In addition to our interview with Caleb McLaughlin and Gabrielle Union, we have our GOAT review live on the site right now. GOAT is a dazzling display of Sony‘s talents, featuring drop-dead gorgeous visuals, stunning character designs, and lush, intricate environments. There’s always something to stare at while watching the film, and Will’s story, though familiar, is inspirational for teaching audiences not to underestimate the little guy. The film stumbles in pace, but that could be something that’s fixed with a second watch. While watching a movie for review, the added pressure of analyzing every frame on the fly warps my perception of time. Once all is said and done, I liked GOAT a whole lot and think that kids will love it, especially those who dream about one day playing for their favorite sports team. For more thoughts about GOAT, make sure you check out our review.
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