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A Goofy Movie
By Nell Minow,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Even tweens will enjoy this road trip with Goofy.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Community Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Not for little kids at all
Not scary, teen/tween themes
What's the Story?
When a prank at school gets Max in trouble, Goofy decides that what Max needs is some quality time with his father. So he takes him on a fishing trip, not knowing that Max will have to miss his first date with his adored Roxanne, and that in order to get out of the date, Max has lied to Roxanne, telling her his father is taking him to a rock concert. It takes a while (and a run-in with Bigfoot) for Goofy and Max to start talking to each other instead of at each other. But they ultimately strengthen their connection and find a satisfying resolution.
Is It Any Good?
Free of the pressures that sometimes smother the big Disney releases, this movie has a refreshingly casual feel, with some sly humor, even daring to poke fun at Disney itself. The teen characters are contemporary without the prepackaged feel of other Disney productions (like "The New Mickey Mouse Club"), and there are lively songs performed by by Tevin Campbell. It's a shame that the G rating might scare off the film's optimal audience, the 10-14 age group. If you can persuade them to take a look, they will find much to enjoy and identify with.
One of the great existential questions of childhood, memorably explored in Stand By Me, is "If Mickey is a mouse, and Pluto is a dog, what is Goofy?" Goofy may be in a class (and genus) of his own, as we see in the thoroughly enjoyable A GOOFY MOVIE. At the center of the story is Max, struggling through the torturous insecurity and self-consciousness of adolescence. Like all teens, he is humiliated by his father's goofiness. But the movie's great joke is that in this case, his father is not just goofy, he is Goofy, the Goof of all Goofs, the Uber-Goof!
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about parent-child communication. Why did it take so long for Goofy and Max to start talking to each other? Why did Max lie to Roxanne? Do you think that was a good idea?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 1, 1995
- On DVD or streaming: June 20, 2000
- Cast: Bill Farmer , Jason Marsden , Jim Cummings
- Director: Kevin Lima
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Run time: 78 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- MPAA explanation: all audiences
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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