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Goon (2011)

Director: Michael Dowse

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10 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

They may have given the world Mack Sennett, Mort Sahl and Dan Aykroyd, but in recent years Canada’s standing on the international comedy stage has been somewhere just north of North Korea. By which token, the prognosis wasn’t good for ‘Goon’, a slapstick underdog sports story following the exploits of one Doug ‘The Thug’ Glatt (Seann William Scott), a foulmouthed ‘enforcer’ for a minor league hockey team whose talent for violence becomes a major asset on the rink. But thankfully, ‘Goon’ is more than simply Stifler on Ice, thanks to a smart script from co-star Jay Baruchel and ‘Superbad’ writer Evan Goldberg, a nice line in bonecrunching action from ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong’ director Michael Dowse, and a bizarrely heartwarming central turn from Scott.

Glatt, based on real-life hockey player Doug Smith, is a fool who knows he’s a fool: a rock-headed but essentially good-natured lunk who simply enjoys a good scrap. His story is one of rags to slightly better rags, as success in the sub-minor American leagues leads to a gig with a sinking Canadian team. What follows is predictable but pleasing: Glatt meets a girl (Alison Pill), argues and reconciles with his colleagues, and carries the team inexorably towards the championships.

Solid rather than spectacular, ‘Goon’ suffers from a slight storyline and an aggravating tendency towards sub-‘Superbad’ pottymouth banter. But its strengths are many: Dowse keeps things moving at a clip, and the crisp photography lends a powerful sense of those bleak, blue-collar towns along the US-Canadian border. The supporting cast is strong – Baruchel, Vincent d’Onofrio, and Canuck comedy stalwart Eugene Levy all muck in gamely. But it’s Scott who gives the movie its heart, delivering a performance of quiet strength and unexpected subtlety – when he’s not cracking skulls.

Author: Tom Huddleston

Time Out London Issue 2159: 5 – 11 Jan, 2011

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User reviews of this film

John said...

Posted on Mar 02 2012 20:42 Calling Doug Glatt foulmouthed and mentioning Vincent d'Onofrio as part of the support cast leads one to wonder if this reviewer actually watched the movie.

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canuck said...

Posted on Mar 01 2012 19:51 Vincent D'Onofrio? Nowhere near this movie.

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Jan 29 2012 22:13 O the fuck K then! If the cu*t below this can be a knob....

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dr bob said...

Posted on Jan 17 2012 09:37 gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood

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harrhy c said...

Posted on Jan 17 2012 09:34 it was a good film but my frieng gethin walked out.and jordan dorossczuk was sick

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Kent said...

Posted on Jan 16 2012 21:24 Goon is very good in that it made me laugh, which is why I went to see it. I also like sports, so a sports movie that made me laught, heck, what more could I ask for other than sneaking in to see it for free?

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Joe said...

Posted on Jan 12 2012 15:24 Saw it last night and overall was quite enjoyable. The central performance was funny and kind of uplifting. The action/hockey scenes are well filmed and the bone-busting punch ups weren't that extreme & often make you laugh. As for the language, well, not as bad as an average Tarantino film I reckon.
Personally think this is better than Sherlock Holmes or the recent G w t Dragon Tattoo remake. Worth seeing for the humour & S Scott's performance.

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Jan 09 2012 18:30 After the fiftieth "fuck" (or was it cunt? I just don't have a cunt fuck punch the fuck cunt of a clue) I did a thing I can't (CUNT?) remember doing for over a decade...I went the **** home. GARBAGE, you F***! and as I didn't see it all, no score.

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ARCHGATE said...

Posted on Jan 09 2012 11:01 despite an obnoxious performance from co-writer Jay Baruchel, this film is an involving tale of a no-hoper who finds salvation in busting heads of opposing ice hockey players. If you like piston-punches, grubby romance and genuinely exciting ice hockey scenes then grab your chance and see this film. It has a prevailing charm which will have you cheering at the end.

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phill said...

Posted on Jan 08 2012 00:30 Just been to see Goon and was convinced by the cinema staff it was worth watchin as its not usually my kind of film,i was however drawn into the film wth its hommour and warmth even in the cold and bleak canadian outback,ok its not going to win any oscars but if u want a film.that'll make u laugh then u cant go far wrong wth this movie

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