A Goofy Movie (1995)
When a film sits in Letterboxd's top 250 animations of all time, you go in expecting something. A hidden gem, maybe. A stroke of forgotten genius that somehow slipped past you in childhood. So I finally ticked off Kevin Lima's A Goofy Movie, fully prepared to be won over, and honestly? The reality is a massive, incredibly average letdown. It's the cinematic equivalent of a beige cardigan: perfectly functional, entirely inoffensive, and completely devoid of any real spark or ambition.
The story is bog-standard father-son road trip fare, ticking off every predictable beat without ever surprising you. Goofy wants to bond with his increasingly embarrassed teenage son Max. Max wants to impress a girl. They bicker, they bond, they learn something. You've seen it before, and you've almost certainly seen it done with more flair. There's nothing here that catches you off guard, no moment where the film suddenly reveals a deeper hand than you expected it to be playing.
But where it really falls short is the visual execution. The animation is strictly serviceable, and not in a charming, lo-fi way. It lacks the lush, hand-drawn majesty that defined Disney's theatrical Renaissance output. Instead, it looks and feels exactly like the low-budget, direct-to-video sequels the studio would later churn out to make a quick quid. That's a genuinely baffling thing to say about a film that actually got a theatrical release, but here we are. I kept thinking about Tarzan, which showed what Disney's traditional animation could do when pushed to its limits. This is not that. Not even close.
Fair play to the voice cast, mind you. Bill Farmer returning as the titular klutz and Jason Marsden as his angsty teenage son Max bring a genuine, earnest charm to their dynamic. The chemistry between them works, and the musical numbers have a certain nostalgic, cheesy thrill that's hard to fully resist. I get what the film is trying to do. Taking a beloved side character and thrusting him into a leading role is an interesting premise, and there are flickers of warmth scattered throughout that make it watchable. When the film leans into that father-son sincerity, it lands just about well enough.
But even with that goodwill on the table, the sheer smallness of the scope is baffling. A theatrical release should feel like an event, like the story demanded a bigger canvas than television could provide. This feels like it's actively holding itself back, content to stay cosy and safe when it should be reaching for something more. The ambition just isn't there, and that's the thing that sticks with me most.
Look, it's a perfectly fine way to kill eighty minutes on a Sunday afternoon. Young kids will love it, and if you grew up with it, the nostalgia will likely smooth over the rough edges I keep snagging on. I can understand why people have affection for it. What I can't quite square is the reverence. The idea that this belongs in any serious conversation about the great animations is a tough pill to swallow when the film itself seems utterly uninterested in greatness.
Two and a half stars. Easy enough viewing, but nowhere near the classic its reputation suggests.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 1995 | Watched: 2026-07-13
Where to watch
Watch in the UK
Stream: Disney Plus
Physical: Amazon UK · Zavvi
Watch in the US
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Buy: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Physical: Amazon US
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