Goats (2011)

"Goats" tracks its main character Ellis Whitman (Graham Phillips), a 15-year-old Arizonan as he leaves the gorgeous desert compound his addled New Age mother Wendy (Vera Farmiga), has decamped to with her trust fund. Ellis has spent much of his early formative years taking treks and toking down with Goat Man, aka Javier, (David Duchovny) with whom he smokes copious amounts of grass and generally hangs out.

Ellis heads to an equally gorgeous New England prep school his own absent straitlaced rich father Frank (Ty Burrell) once attended. In fact, his dad had roomed there with the current headmaster, and so the bar is set high for Ellis. He smokes his courses (cut off from his cannabis connection), meets up with other potheads at the school, runs cross-country after some coercion from the hip track coach, declines a liaison with local dining-hall staffer Minnie (Dakota Johnson), who spends her time reading and making extra money off the student bodies. Ellis initially runs afoul of his father Frank during a terse, tense Thanksgiving, but later the pair find their peace and bond.

Ellis has to decide where to spend summer break, back in Arizona or with his dad, his step mother, and infant half brother.

Well, the critics pretty much gleefully savaged this Sundance film, citing its meandering plot, lack of action, and hybridized comedy-drama tone and comparing the actors and the plot to goats. Cynics are always ready with barbs, but I have to say, this is a fun movie when you don't want 3D special effects, overbearing soundtracks, mutilation and mayhem, and twisted plot lines. In other words, "Goats" affords one the chance to just kick back, watch a story without any secret message or theme. It's just a twisted tale, not a study in realism, about choices, growing up, and growing out. We have all done it in one way or another, and the point here is that there is always a story, even if it is not a cautionary tale or sex romp.

It is not a classic movie, but it is a classic case of what happens when critics drip spleen and venom without considering maybe the point of the movie is to meander. I don't think the goats care one way or another but I enjoyed watching it on a Saturday evening.

What? I saw this at Sundance, where everyone loved it, then I read a bunch of bad reviews on-line and thought there must be another film called "Goats." I mean, the poster and the DVD cover are kind of cheesy, but the film is really strong.

I watched it again on PPV a few weeks ago and it was as good as I remembered.

Funny and not too boisterous or obvious, this film snuck up on me and the 1500 other people at Sundance, and turned out to be a real charmer. Duchovny is kind of genius as Goat Man, both weird and believable. I liked Justin Kirk a lot, too, and Ty Burrell's nervous restraint is fun to watch.

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This is quite a different atmosphere for a coming of age story through and around ... Goats? Yes. Christopher Neil directs this film with charming style and abundant laughs. I was trepidatious about renting this one. While this may not be to everybody's liking, it works all the way around for me.

This movie is really about 15 year old Ellis (Graham Phillips) who is surrounded by a most 'colorful' family. He is ready to go his own way from Tucson to Gates Prep School on the East Coast: the same school his father, Frank (Ty Burrell), went to before him and the area where he has been living now.

His mother, whom he calls Wendy by name, (Vera Farmiga, who shines once again in this) is a mix of the spiritual and New Age philosophies floating around in her own self-absorbed reality. If you can rope in Wendy's personality in a couple of sentences you are far better spoken than I.

'Goat Man' (David Duchovny), or Javier, take your pick, is a 'botanist' and an experienced goat-trekker, that is hired by Wendy to keep up the place along with her. He resides in the pool house, tends to his ever growing garden and ... goats. These two have raised Ellis in an offbeat style, along with a huge amount love. Once you do get to know them, they quickly are very genuine.

Quite simply, Ellis leaves for school and is greeted with an alternate way of life that he easily learns to excel in. While there, he meets up with his father for the first time in years of absence; he has been avoiding his ex-wife Wendy.

Frank is re-married to Judy (Keri Russell) now, with a baby brother on the way. Their lifestyle is easily recognizable as affluent. While Ellis' father may first appear emotionally vacant, Judy (being much younger) is right on target with Ellis, readily able to befriend him and bridge the gap between father and son.

Wendy stays behind with Goat Man and takes up with a new jealous lover Bennett (Justin Kirk perfect in this). He screens every call and doesn't give Ellis' messages to Wendy, he wouldn't being the convincingly arrogant prig that he is. They lose touch because of his interference and Wendy loses control and goes more into her spiritual side, well, her altogether self (?)

In this film, watch a Thanksgiving dinner (ala Wendy) take on new meaning with Goat Man, Bennett and several others present. Ellis chooses to go to Frank's home. Well, Wendy didn't get that phone call either.

*Also a nice cameo appearance with Minnie Driver if you catch it.

This indie film plays out as one set-up after another onto some depth and hilarity, in a much more subtle way than hysterical. Like the other reviewers, I agree with the 'sit back and enjoy' theme of Ellis' journey to find himself. This movie is one that you wouldn't need to overthink, analyze or anything ... but laugh.

As far as Goat Man ... "He knows the desert well and he'll be fine"

{If there is any questioning of the Minnie Driver cameo, while streaming you can catch a great shot of her at 01:34:05}

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Great film, acting was amazing. Nice to see David Duchoveny again. Vera Formiga and the young boy were equally excellent.

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With some nice kid acting. This is not great, not anything to make you change your mind about life, but a very fine portrait of a badly parented young man trying hard to navigate between selfish and self-absorbed people and somehow manage to grow up. How he manages to realize whom he can trust and whom he cannot is well done.

Life is confusing, with multiple temptations. Realizing that it may be best to avoid what looks delightful is an essential part of growing to adulthood. Most of the "adults" in here have not learned that. Even the ones that look "cool." And it avoids a couple of clichés I thought it was illegal to not include.

A solid 3.5. We enjoyed it and don't regret watching at all.

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