Review of Goon (2012) by Fdt44 — 29 Mar 2012

Though its made with a discernible amount of passion for the sport, a subject treated highly from the filmmakers, "Goon," is a sports dramedy that is less about hockey and all about one finding longing achievement through uninhibited bestiality; an exchange of fists--given and received--with a pack of feeling behind each knuckle-turned, brain-bashing, tooth-flying, slo-mo blood smearing punch.

From director Michael Dowse ("Take Me Home Tonight" and "Fubar: Balls to the Wall") and the writer of "Superbad," "Pineapple Express," and "The Green Hornet," Evan Goldberg, "Goon" begins as an interesting spin and deviation from other hockey flicks (namely "Slap Shot"), being gruffly raucous and zany, much in part to hyper, foul-mouthed friend Pat (Jay Baruchel / also credited as a screenwriter), though once he is exited whimsically from the story, the same comic pep is lost.

What then transpires is an unrelenting, overextended brawl-fest that is bookended unresistingly by intermitting shots of despair, anger, familial dysfunction and self-induced masochism. Moreover, after the film wrings dry every drop of angst that is felt outside the rink, it has no other stopgap but to resort to the already overdone violence.

Only the realistic-looking, greasy mullet and 70's stache Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber) is even partially enjoyable to follow, outside of ribald Pat; Schreiber fits the part impeccably. As for the protagonist, given this intolerable dullness as Doug, (Seann William Scott) a stammering, ignoramus character, the hockey scenes are, by default, increasingly more palatable.

Doug does have his moments of establishing empathy from audiences, but it is ultimately short-lived and is supplanted with more blood from punches. If you are grasping the common theme here, "Goon" is all brawn; it never has, purports to have, or even contemplates for a second about having any brain or intellectual bearings.

Overall, it is a language-polluting, mind-vacationing, blood-thirsty, feral baccahanal which harbors its fair share of ephemeral fun and carnality, but doesn't last as long as you might have hoped--or not quick enough--depending on on how you like your time wasted.