Directed by: Andrew Neel
Written by: David Gordon Green, Brad Land, Andrew Neel, Mike Roberts
Cast: Ben Schnetzer, Nick Jonas, Gus Halper, Danny Flaherty
Swift shot: I’ve heard this one described as Full Metal Jacket meets Animal House, but I don’t remember laughing at all. Based on the tragic loss of a fraternity pledge, Goat is a disturbing behind the Greek column peek at what really goes on at these frats nationwide.
Recently I reviewed The Hunting Ground, a documentary about the dangers of adolescents, away from home, exposed to debauchery and sex, drugs, and mainly alcohol and how that drug can lead to poisoning more than one person. It can poison society. But that isn’t a treatise on alcohol, it’s a treatise on owning personal responsibility and accountability. Goat reminded me of this fatal flaw we all have, at times.
Goat, based on a novel by Brad Land, (the protagonist) explores the uncensored realities of college life in America and the draw that the power to belong can have on even the most resolute minded kids. Goat is an exploration on the deployment of power and control.
A bizarre mugging of his younger brother, Brad (Schnetzer) leads Brett (Jonas) to encourage Brad to enroll at the same college Brett’s attending, in the hopes that Brett can help Brad become a man. Though he never says those words, the shame he feels through his brother is palpable. Not everyone wants to be a man, though, or at least not everyone believes in violence. I got the mental image in my head of Ferdinand the Bull whenever Brad was on screen, from the Disney classic, a big kid who somehow lets himself get taken advantage of. He’s being a good Samaritan when he gets mugged.
Goat is a tragedy, a true crime story about the loss of one young man caught up in the overwhelming desire to belong to something greater than himself . . . again, that draw to power. And, believe me, I am not spoiling anything, because the story, again written by the lead protagonist does a wonderful job of keeping you guessing as to what tragedy will befall what young person. You know something terrible is coming; you just aren’t sure when it is coming.
While Goat has a lot of terrific story-telling potential, it gets dragged down by a need to feed the story about the hazing, and lost is the story of the real victim in the film.
If you love sex and booze and humiliation, you’re gonna love Goat. If you don’t; consider yourself warned. The editing in Goat is provocatively crafted, one second something completely mundane will be instantly interrupted by tits and ass bouncing up and down. A visual ambush, if you will. This happens a few times throughout the film’s brief 96 minute run time.
This editorial juxtaposition provides a not-so-subtle reminder that while parents assume their kids are studying and learning all about lifting sanctions on Bolivia, they are actually discovering who they are and developing identities that might shock society, to say nothing of their families.
Goat left me feeling deflated and discouraged at the end, if you can call that an end. There is no real resolution, and lost is the story I wanted to hear about, not the story I was told instead. I can’t say much else here without giving away . . . the goat.
