Family Movie Night - “A Goofy Movie” (1995)

For my last review of my second Family Movie Night series, I wanted to check out a movie that a lot of families still enjoy today. So, I decided on a movie that is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary - “A Goofy Movie”!

Though Goofy always means well, his amiable cluelessness and klutzy pratfalls regularly embarrass his awkward adolescent son, Max. When Max’s lighthearted prank on his high school principal finally gets his longtime crush, Roxanne, to notice him, he asks her on a date.

Max’s trouble at school convinces Goofy that he and the boy need to bond over a cross country fishing trip like the one he took with his dad when he was Max’s age, which throws a kink in his son’s plans to impress Roxanne.

“A Goofy Movie” has garnered a reputation as an underrated cult classic due to its heartfelt and relatable portrayal of the father-son relationship, catchy soundtrack, and nostalgic appeal for those who grew up with it. While initial critical and box office reception were mixed, the movie has since been evaluated and is now considered an iconic and beloved piece of 90s Disney animation.

The movie’s central plot, which follows Goofy and Max on a cross-country trip, resonates strongly with both parents and their teens. It explores themes of parental love, teen angst, and the struggles of communication and independence. This central plot can also be really emotional as Goofy does everything he can to connect with Max.

“A Goofy Movie” also stands out for its blend of classic, slapstick comedy and mature, sincere drama. This 1995 animated classic has some key dramatic scenes that centers on themes of trust, independence and unconditional love.

A central dramatic moment occurs when Goofy discovers Max altered their cross-country road map to lead them to the Powerline concert instead of Lake Destiny. Once Goofy finds out, the scene is heightened by Goofy’s visible internal struggle and crushed expression, marking one of the rare times the character is genuinely, profoundly upset. 

“A Goofy Movie” not only features some heartfelt, dramatic moments, there’s also quite a few scenes that are really humorous. One of the movie’s most iconic and memorable moments is when Max’s friend Bobby gets really excited about the cheese wiz he has gotten and ultimately creates the “Leaning Tower of Cheese-A.” There’s also some other funny moments, such as a car music battle where they fight over the car radio and pretty much the Lester’s Possum Park sequence - not to mention the scene-stealing Bigfoot.

“A Goofy Movie” didn’t perform spectacularly well in theaters but found a massive second life through home video and TV airings. It has also ultimately built a dedicated cult following over the decades. The 1995 movie is a sweet, funny and meaningful family movie that has grown in stature to be a celebrated, intergenerational classic.

MPA: Rated G   (runtime 78 minutes)

You can currently stream both “A Goofy Movie” and its sequel “An Extremely Goofy Movie” on Disney Plus!

• The character of Powerline is a mixture of Bobby Brown, Prince and Michael Jackson.

• The movie didn't do well at the box office, but did very well in video sales and rentals.

• Pauly Shore asked for his role to be uncredited, because he didn't want Disney to sell the movie on his name similar to Robin Williams' request for Aladdin (1992).

• The 'Lester's Possum Pals' show that Goofy drags Max to is a parody of Disney's own Country Bear Jamboree attraction at various Disney theme parks.

• The inspiration for the film came from Jeffrey Katzenberg, the chairman of the Walt Disney Feature Animation at the time, who was feeling distant from his daughter. He decided to go on a road trip with her that brought the two closer together.

• This film was originally made around late 1993, and was supposed to be released in theaters during the holiday season of 1994. However, some production problems in France caused the film's release to be pushed back to 1995, while The Lion King (1994) was reissued to fill in for the film's absence.

• The cast recorded together which is rare for animated films/TV shows.

• Director Kevin Lima's goal was to make a John Hughes movie in animation form.