Goats (2012)

I would like to start with that - after watching this movie i wished i were the one living in the farm with Goat man as my father :D. Although this movie does not introduce deep philosophical problems - it is about life and leaves you with cosmic feeling that life is good. It revolves around ordinary story of really fictional fifteen year old boy(believe me boys at that age are rarely so mature ;) ) but the characters around him are the one that matters. David Duchovny is one of the few really genuine actors, who can portray weird but true and honest characters in their nature, so well. He is witty and his subtle intelligence is so appealing and his character Goat Man has so many layers. He starts as a mysterious and flawless guardian who is always there and just gives you advices and leads you on a journey without judging you. But later in the movie we see him as a real man with weaknesses and desires. In the end he proves to be the real father and the best the boy could have. The film shows that even though the boy was raised in this unconventional atmosphere with two unconventional parents who loved him so much, he couldn't escape from his biological nature and pursuing what his biological father had thus pulling him apart from his real family. I really liked the open ending leaving us with feeling that life goes on and anything can happen.

OK. so it wasn't the greatest coming of age film i've ever seen. but it had its moments. don't want to spoil those for anyone. especially since i didn't check the spoiler box. i think, maybe, those who didn't like it needed something more. if nothing else, more explained. probably young and looking for answers. thing about life is, answers are where you find them... and sometimes things 'just are'. i'm ALSO thinking that they wanted to see the movie go in certain directions. and it doesn't. it, like any other (good) story, has its own agenda. and by this i mean other than making a gajillion bucks. sorry for those of you that wanted it, but no car chases, nudity(which is a shame considering that vera farmiga is in it. not this movie people. sorry), wildass tripping scenes, gunfights or car chases. one goat chase, though. oops. was that a spoiler? what i meant by the summary was that the rating, as of my writing this, is five point FOUR! five point FOUR! i was amazed at how low it was. but then i saw a bunch of favorable reviews. good thing, too, cause you don't want me to turn this around and go home. OK. time for the next film. look folks(i probably mean 'kids'), maybe you should just stick to the blockbusters and leave the indies for those of us who can handle them, rather than thinking your opinions are worth diddly. i almost didn't see this film because of the ridiculously low rating. but then a friend told me she really liked it. saved again. hallelujah and good night.

***SPOILER?*** While the plot was a bit meandering like a goat on a trek, it was for the most part entertaining. The acting was superb by the lead and Vera also had a solid performance. I look forward to seeing what graham does next. Not only was his performance solid, he seemed to be the most poised in answering questions after the movie. Nice job Graham. I felt like the movie went in a few too many directions that might better be handled in a series of shows on network television. I did end of liking the main characters except for goat man. His character, while interesting, didn't seem to have any real depth to it. All in all it was an entertaining movie with superb acting by graham that was thinned out a bit by a plot that got lost in the hills a bit.

I had the pleasure of seeing GOATS last week at The Loft Cinema in Tucson, AZ and enjoyed every minute. The story was subtle and touching and really gave an honest depiction of a young man's path to maturity amidst such family instability and often hilarious strife. The script was masterfully crafted and was a perfect balance of laugh out loud moments and heartfelt drama. Loved the performances by all, especially the genuine depiction of the lead character Ellis played by Graham Phillips from 'The Good Wife'. David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Ty Burrell, and Justin Kirk were all spot-on and hilarious throughout...the character of Goat Man is an instant cinema classic! The film was gorgeously shot and authentically highlights the Sonoran desert, which was an interesting cinematic contrast to the east coast prep school that Ellis attends. With an enthusiastic applause at the conclusion it was clear the film was very well received and almost the entire audience stuck around for the great Q&A session that followed. I hope it will be in theaters soon so all can see this fantastic film by first time director Chris Neil, which I think is destined to be a cult classic. A MUST SEE!!