Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Basketball tribute (with a little edge) champions teamwork.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
GOAT
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 22 parent reviews
Parents say the film is an inspiring and entertaining watch that emphasizes teamwork, perseverance, and believing in oneself, making it appealing to children and families. While many reviews praised its humor, animation, and positive messages, some expressed concerns about the portrayal of mobile phone usage and other modern cultural elements that may not be suitable for younger viewers.
- inspiring teamwork
- enjoyable humor
- modern relevance
- concerns over phone use
- family-friendly messages
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 12 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In GOAT, little goat Will Harris (voiced by Caleb McLaughlin) grows up as a huge roarball (basketball) fan in the town of Vineland, where hotshot female black panther Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union) is his favorite player on the Vineland Thorns. One of Will's core memories is attending a Thorns game with his loving mom (Jennifer Hudson), a popular diner waitress who encourages him to pursue his dream of becoming the first small animal to play the large-animal-dominated sport. A decade later, Will still loves roarball, but he's struggling financially and grieving his mother's death. After Will's best friends post a viral video of him challenging cocky baller Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre) at a local court, the Thorns' owner unexpectedly offers Will a spot as the team's sixth player. Jett isn't thrilled, and neither are her teammates: Komodo dragon Modo Olachenko (Nick Kroll), ostrich Olivia Burke (Nicola Coughlan), rhinoceros Archie Everhardt (David Harbour), and giraffe Lenny Williamson (Stephen Curry). The Thorns have yet to win championship, and with Jett's impressive career winding down, the pressure is mounting. As Will slowly wins the team over, he helps them improve. Now if only Jett can learn to share the ball...
Is It Any Good?
This heartfelt animated sports movie, produced by co-star Curry, is a tribute to overcoming the odds to follow your dream. Director Tyree Dillihay and the folks at Sony Pictures Animation have created a visual tribute not only to elements of Curry's own professional biography (at 6'2", he's five inches shorter than the league average) but also to a lot of NBA lore. There are several in-jokes for serious basketball fans, including references to Michael Jordan and Larry Bird's "Nothing But Net" commercial, Allen Iverson's signature crossovers, Modo being as flashy and eccentric as Dennis Rodman, and, of course, Curry's jersey number and "night, night" gesture. Several other NBA and WNBA stars (Dwayne Wade, A'ja Wilson, Kevin Love, and Angel Reese) also lend their voices to the project as supporting characters.
Star McLaughlin, perhaps best known for playing Lucas in Stranger Things, does a fine job carrying the movie. And Union, who knows a lot about basketball, is a great choice as Jett. The movie's positive themes are an uplifting reminder of how cities rally around their teams and communities uphold their homegrown talent. Sure, underdog sports movies aren't exactly groundbreaking in the plot department, so the ending likely won't surprise most viewers, but it will still delight them. And while Will's tension with adversary Mane isn't as compelling as the tension with Jett, who has to let her guard down to trust her teammates with the ball, ultimately, each team member has their own moment to shine in the game and grow. A nice bonus? The movie isn't just a testament to the love of a sport but also to a parent's enduring love and encouragement, thanks to the role that Will's mom plays in his life.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of teamwork in GOAT. What does Will teach Jett about the game?
Will is told that he's too small to succeed. How does he handle being underestimated? What do you think about size-ism in sports?
For those aware of Steph Curry's NBA career and the league in general, which aspects of the movie felt connected to real players and statistics?
Which characters demonstrated positive character strengths? Why do you think those traits are valuable to see on-screen?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 13, 2026
- On DVD or streaming : March 24, 2026
- Cast : Caleb McLaughlin , Stephen Curry , Nick Kroll
- Directors : Tyree Dillihay , Adam Rosette
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Columbia Pictures , Sony Pictures Animation
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals ( Farm Animals , Wild Animals ) , Sports ( Basketball )
- Character Strengths : Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some rude humor and brief mild language
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : March 22, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate