Having read a review prior to attending the screening, I had mixed expectations about Goats. But in the time since, this complex and poignant film has stuck with me more than most any film I have seen lately. As billed, Goats is a coming of age story, but it is much deeper than the typical angst ridden drama with a teen central character. In fact, all the people in 15-year-old Ellis's life, no matter what their age, face the turmoil of growing up.
A smart, but weed-toking slacker, Ellis is probably the most grounded of this oddball mix of humanity. Graham Phillips does a marvelous job of showing us his emotional journey rather than short cutting with some cheesy exposition. He doesn't have any real drive other then a conflicted sense he needs to move beyond the life he grew up with. This portrayal is very true to life. Director Christopher Neil gets a lot of depth out of his actors without over doing it. The performances of Vera Farmiga and David Duchovny are wonderful as the over-the-top, self absorbed seeker of spirituality Wendy, and the so laid back his is almost in reverse Goat Man. Justin Kirk is fun to watch as Wendy's arrogant, two timing sleaze bag boyfriend. An all to brief cameo of Minnie Driver as a spiritual coach is a hoot.
There is stark visual contrast between Ellis's new world of east coast boarding school and his old life in Tucson. This mirrors the emotional jarring Ellis is going through. As the film treks forward on two parallel trails, we are also reminded that, despite our protests, life continues without those we love. When these trails intersect, we see how Ellis is pulled between his two worlds.
The scenes shot in and around Tucson, Arizona give Goats a unique look. Thankfully, the film avoids the clichés of Tucson. Sure we see saguaros, the mountains and vast alluring desert landscapes. But they are part of the environment the characters naturally inhabit rather than used as pretty postcard filler shots. It also, for the most part, avoids the clichés of boarding school. There is a nice twist when the track coach takes Ellis's joint, and simultaneously blackmails him in to running cross-country, while savoring a smoke.
Throughout the film, a lot is said indirectly through action, or through dialog containing multiple meanings. When Goat Man says, "I hate my goats," it reveals a moment of clarity: an inner disappointment with his life and the feeling he is trapped in it.
The packed crowd at the screening I attended laughed, cheered, and in the end, erupted into applause. Where so many films of this genre plod to a tedious end, Goats treks lightly to its conclusion. It is not tied up neatly with a bow. The characters all have a long journey ahead, and most likely, they won't get where they think they want to go. Kind of like, well, goats. In the end, I found I wanted to see more of the story. It is an entertaining film that leaves you with something to talk about.
A smart, but weed-toking slacker, Ellis is probably the most grounded of this oddball mix of humanity. Graham Phillips does a marvelous job of showing us his emotional journey rather than short cutting with some cheesy exposition. He doesn't have any real drive other then a conflicted sense he needs to move beyond the life he grew up with. This portrayal is very true to life. Director Christopher Neil gets a lot of depth out of his actors without over doing it. The performances of Vera Farmiga and David Duchovny are wonderful as the over-the-top, self absorbed seeker of spirituality Wendy, and the so laid back his is almost in reverse Goat Man. Justin Kirk is fun to watch as Wendy's arrogant, two timing sleaze bag boyfriend. An all to brief cameo of Minnie Driver as a spiritual coach is a hoot.
There is stark visual contrast between Ellis's new world of east coast boarding school and his old life in Tucson. This mirrors the emotional jarring Ellis is going through. As the film treks forward on two parallel trails, we are also reminded that, despite our protests, life continues without those we love. When these trails intersect, we see how Ellis is pulled between his two worlds.
The scenes shot in and around Tucson, Arizona give Goats a unique look. Thankfully, the film avoids the clichés of Tucson. Sure we see saguaros, the mountains and vast alluring desert landscapes. But they are part of the environment the characters naturally inhabit rather than used as pretty postcard filler shots. It also, for the most part, avoids the clichés of boarding school. There is a nice twist when the track coach takes Ellis's joint, and simultaneously blackmails him in to running cross-country, while savoring a smoke.
Throughout the film, a lot is said indirectly through action, or through dialog containing multiple meanings. When Goat Man says, "I hate my goats," it reveals a moment of clarity: an inner disappointment with his life and the feeling he is trapped in it.
The packed crowd at the screening I attended laughed, cheered, and in the end, erupted into applause. Where so many films of this genre plod to a tedious end, Goats treks lightly to its conclusion. It is not tied up neatly with a bow. The characters all have a long journey ahead, and most likely, they won't get where they think they want to go. Kind of like, well, goats. In the end, I found I wanted to see more of the story. It is an entertaining film that leaves you with something to talk about.