Review of Goat (2016) by Steve S — 24 May 2016

Masculinity is one of the most provocative themes in today's culture that isn't as afraid of confronting inane brutality as it used to be. While we may have gotten movies that touched on the subject in a stylized or comedic manner--such as Fight Club and The Trip, respectively--Goat acts the antithesis of sensationalized cinema, being entirely raw.

Even if it isn't quite up to greatness, it's still an indictment on masculinity and acceptance that's saddening, angering, and doesn't hold back without dipping into unjust excess. Based off of the memoir of the same name, Brad (Ben Schnetzer) is an impressionable nineteen-year-old entering his freshman year of college, where his older brother Brett (Nick Jonas) is a member of a fraternity to which Brad, having no real prior connections, attempts to join.

The games turn to hazing and the hazing turns to what are essentially gang violence and war crimes under the guise of brotherhood--a world repeated by its characters purposefully ad nauseam. The number one success of Goat is that while its content is over-the-top, it never once even flirts with glamorizing what's onscreen.

As mentioned, the movie is stripped-down to its nastiest components. Drug use and sex on display are shown from a detached point of view. The hazing performed by the pledged fraternity members is painted to replicate that of torture: violence, embarrassment, coercing others to drink amounts that could kill some people, urinating on them, and forcing subordinates to replicate sexually submissive acts and just a few.

It all traces back to college kids trying to prove their masculinity. Director Andrew Neel captures that homoerotic nature of the mud wrestling and mimed fellatio in order to underline the homophobia exhibited by these characters.

It becomes increasingly numbing as the movie progresses, the mostly successful results. The actors also do great work in grounding the content into human territory, namely Schnetzer and Jonas who do great jobs hiding their doubts behind stone-faced staring contests.

All of this works to varying degrees, mostly from successful to almost exactly what the filmmakers intended. There are a few weak spots, though, such as the film's repetition. It isn't that I have issues with repetitive filmmaking as a lot of my favorite movies of recent years are within that nature, but it doesn't always work here.

With the content shown, it can only be shown so many times before the descent into dehumanization levels out. They could have cut out or even shortened one or two hazing scenes. The movie's brutality starts to lose a bit of punch, which is fine since it becomes numbing, but the numbness goes on for a bit too long.

There's also a character revelation that was pretty predictable, and wish that the ending was more in-depth, although I appreciated how the movie concluded on an thematic and emotional note. Goat is an imperfect movie, but it's nice to see a movie that shows its material with warts and all.

It's nice that the commentary of the characters' actions stems more from observation and juxtaposition than dialogue, and the performers sell it. It's paced well enough and I applaud the steady yet unrestrained hand with which director Andrew Neel handles the hazing scenes.

Despite its flaws, it's an effective and solid piece of work. 7.9/10, solid, one thumb up, above average, etc.