23 Jan 2013
Staff Writer
Preston Barta
Staff Writer
GOON, 92 min.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Directed by Michael Dowse
Written by Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg
Starring: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Liev Schreiber and Eugene Levy
Synopsis
Doug Glatt (Scott), an unaccomplished, polite but dim-witted bar bouncer, becomes a fighter, or “goon,” for his hometown minor league hockey team.
Review
“Goon” is a little flick that has built a cult fan base with its mix of bare-knuckle boxing on ice and its rather colorful use of profanity, especially from the mouth of Baruchel’s Pat Houlihan, Glatt’s hockey-obsessed best friend. Baruchel (“Knocked Up,” 2007), who adapted and co-wrote the script with Seth Rogen’s usual writing partner Evan Goldberg (“Superbad,” 2007), spices up almost every line with a vibrant expletive.
Scott, who is the polar opposite of his character Stifler from the “American Pie” films, shows more acting range here than ever before. He plays Glatt as a more humble individual who can still take the gloves off and give people a royal beating whenever it comes to messing with those close to him.
There is a lot of fun to be had in “Goon,” especially if you embrace its utter ridiculousness. It supplies bloody, good entertainment, with genuine laughs and a heartfelt story that manages to be enjoyable even with its massive downfalls. Netflix renters, don’t expect an Oscar-winning movie here— just a good hour-and-a-half well spent.
“Goon” is also available on Blu-ray and DVD now.
