PCP's Movie Pick for October: Goon (2012)

My movie pick for October is a less challenging film to watch than last month's. It's definitely funnier and more crowd pleasing, but there's definitely some things in there to pay attention to.


Goon (2012)

 "I'm here to do whatever they need me to do. If they need me to bleed, then I'll bleed for my team."

 
Alright, alright, hear me out for a second on this one. On the surface this film looks like a goofy sport's comedy starring Stiffler from American Pie, American Pie 2, American Wedding, American Reunion, American Pie: The Reckoning, and American Pie in Space, but if you actually take the time to sit down and watch it there's way more to it than you might think. Beneath the story of a bouncer turned minor league hockey thug, there's deep themes of loyalty to your team, respect for your opponent, and a recurring theme that comes up time and time again at YMT when discussing the extra "it" factor that makes good fighters great: Grit.

Goon stars Sean William Scott as Doug Glatt, a kind-hearted, simple-minded bouncer who never really knew his place in life until, after knocking out an angry player at a hockey game, it is discovered that he's "been bless with the fist of God". Thus, he is convinced to try out for a minor league hockey team to fill the position of enforcer. His grit, determination, and willingness to fight for his team (taking serious damage if necessary) gets him noticed, and he is soon drafted to a Triple A hockey team to protect their star player. Glatt's main opposition comes from Ross "The Boss" Rhea (played by a scene stealing Liev Schreiber), a veteran enforcer on the verge of retirement. Rhea is considered the scariest player in the league, and represents the old guard of enforcers. Spoilers: The two end up fighting in the last game of the season. Now, what stands out to me about this movie is how these two characters, despite being made into rivals by circumstance and pressure (a newspaper article titled "Why Doug Glatt and Ross Rhea Must Fight", for example), still have the utmost respect for each other as athletes and understand that fighting each other is their job, and not at all personal. I'll let you draw your own parallel's between that and our sport.

Plus the locker-room banter in this movie is hilarious. Check it out, if you've never heard of it then you won't be disappointed.