Goats, 2012.
Directed by Christopher Neil.
Starring David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Graham Phillips, Minnie Driver, Justin Kirk, Keri Russell and Ty Burrell.
SYNOPSIS:
Ellis is about to leave his home in Tuscon to begin his freshman year at a prep school; in doing so he faces separation from his mother, whose new-age beliefs control her life, and the only father figure he as ever known, Goat Man.
Graham Phillips plays Ellis, a teenager who lives with his mother Wendy (played by Vera Farmiga) and their gardener Goat Man (played by David Duchovny), who is almost part of the furniture in their house. Following an invitation to attend the same prep school that his father, Frank (Ty Burrell) went to, he finds himself struggling to revoke his support for his mother who, apparently due to her fondness for everything new age, cannot fully cope with the rigours of normal life such as paying the bills and servicing the car. In addition to this guilt, he also finds he misses Goat Man, both as a father figure and additionally, a supplier of a “recreational” substance.
During his time away Ellis’ estranged father, Frank, comes back into his life, bringing with him news that only adds to the strain Ellis is suffering. As with other coming of age films, our protagonist believes that he is suffering more than most and so it comes as a partial relief for him to find that his room mate at the school, Barney (played by Nicholas Lobue), actually has pressures on him that at least equal his own. In addition, his mother’s new partner, Bennet (played by Justin Kirk) moves in and becomes obstructive to his relationship with both her and Goat Man, who also finds this new presence in the household annoying to say the least.
There are some quite funny instances, particularly during a family meal which smoothly migrates into a reasonably strong emotional argument, but it is neither a very funny part nor a very strong argument, and herein lies the problem with the film; it ticks the boxes of an average coming of age film but fails to try any harder. It is almost as if it is satisfied with itself, which just isn’t enough.
Duchovny seems quite at home as the pot-smoking Goat Man, regularly going on a long walk for days with Ellis, which bolsters their pseudo father-son relationship. Indeed a particular journey is one of the few stand-out highlights of a pleasant film. Every time I sensed a build up during emotional segments, I felt as if the film was on the edge of a whirlpool and I was expecting to be pulled in, but it never happened. Just as it started to entice me in, it relinquished its grip and everything slowed back down to a “safe” pace.
Perhaps as this was Neil’s first major piece, he felt that he didn’t want to take a gamble on parts he wasn’t fully confident in. Certainly the shooting was fantastic; great cinematography and framing were ever-present, it was just a shame the same quality wasn’t shown in the execution of the story written by Mark Poirier, who wrote the screenplay too.
A pleasant enough film, which is enjoyable to watch, but because it didn’t push that bit harder, it will not become a long term classic.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
J-P Wooding – Follow me on Twitter.
Originally published February 5, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
