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Everyone loves to swoon over the big-eared mouse or dress up like a princess, but few people really show Disney pal Goofy the love he deserves. That extends to the quirky character’s 1995 film, A Goofy Movie, which takes a sweet, gentle look at parenting through the teen years and all the struggles that go along with it.
During the early years of the pandemic and TikTok’s rise to popularity, a bit of nostalgic tenderness swelled for the movie, thanks almost entirely to super-talented TikTok dancers attempting Max’s “I2I” dance. The fondness has grown slightly with the recorded cover of that same song featured on Disney’s new “pop-punk” album, A Whole New Sound.
With the sudden surge in popularity, a re-watch of A Goofy Movie seemed essential. And, gawrsh, did it deliver.
A Hit for All Ages
Admittedly, many movies made with parents and teens in mind can seem too grown-up for little kids. The themes aren’t relatable enough, or the language is a little saltier than you’d like. Luckily, Max and Goofy’s story is about as wholesome as it comes.
While the movie centers on some teen and parenting tropes (we’ll get into it shortly), there’s plenty for little kids to like, too. Goofy and Max are both klutzes, and their slip-ups lead to some epically silly — and, dare I say, action-packed — moments. Plus, even beyond “I2I,” the entire soundtrack of A Goofy Movie is an absolute bop.
The relationship between Goofy and Max is at times tenuous, but Max is still a pretty decent kid, and Goofy is, well, Goofy. You won’t find any moments in this that might elicit poor behavior or bad attitudes from your kiddo. Even in the moments where those ‘tudes exist, they’re quickly illustrated as *cringe.*
Some of the overarching teen-parent themes are brilliant and worth addressing, though.
Teen Relatability
Max is a good kid with normal tendencies. His big act of rebellion early in the film is literally interrupting an assembly with a song and dance to impress a girl. Of course, the principal goes in hard. At one point, he even tells Goofy that Max’s behavior will land him in the electric chair. And while that’s sort of, ya know, ~yikes~, it also feels like a nice little elbow nudge to teens — a whispered, “See? Everyone’s principal is the worst.”
It also offers Goofy a bit of grace. He didn’t get riled up over the incident; the principal exaggerated and stressed him out. Sure, you want your teen to respect authority and not interrupt assemblies, but Max’s stunt is fairly harmless. Moreover, he didn’t interrupt his principal out of defiance but merely as a chance to grab the stage when his crush was watching.
Max also deals with a crush, lies to impress her, struggles with his confidence, and desperately seeks understanding from his parents. Overall, the message to teens is clear: You’re not alone.
A Message for Parents, Too
If you can watch A Goofy Movie without feeling absolutely gutted at least once, are you even a parent? The writers and creators clearly wanted to tell a story that would resonate with teens and their parents, albeit through the lens of the typically lighter animated movie format.
Goofy is a good dad. He may actually have been an OG gentle parent before gentle parenting became “a thing.” He juggles work and raising a teenager who isn’t perfect but isn’t a bad kid. He handles almost everything with grace and patience, well beyond what most of us can offer. Bandit Heeler *wishes* he could be Goofy when Bluey grows up. Seriously.
When does Goofy fumble? When he asks Pete how he and PJ work as a father-son unit, Pete tells Goofy he needs to lay down the law and be strict with Max. But every kid, teen, and parent is different, and what you see from any parent-child relationship isn’t necessarily the entire picture. It turns out PJ is a kid who is terrified and resentful of his dad. So, while being strict and harsh might “work” for Pete, it’s not going to work for Goofy. And, sadly, he won’t figure that out until he tries.
Another super relatable moment? When Goofy is singing “On The Open Road,” Max’s reaction is absolutely one we’ve all seen before. First, he’s cringing and rolling his eyes. Next, he’s singing along with mean and sarcastic lyrics. If you’ve ever had your tween or teen ask you to stop singing or scoff at your silliness (that they used to love), you know the kick-in-the-teeth feeling of the scene. If happy-go-lucky Goofy can feel that disconnect and tension with his kid, it should be a bit reassuring when you experience the same.
An Excellent Co-Watching Experience
Of course, the climax of the movie coincides with the Powerline concert. Max is bound and determined to not only meet his superstar idol but also be on stage once again in front of his crush, Roxanne. While Goofy nudges Max towards being honest and authentic, he also helps make sure Max can chase his dream. Sure, it’s all done in the hysterical, mistake-riddled fashion you’d expect from Goofy, but our boys still get the job done. The big takeaway is that working together solved their problems and stabilized their once-rocky relationship.
And isn’t that what we want most for our kids? For them to know they’re not alone and they can always count on us?
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