30 Years Later, ‘A Goofy Movie’ Is Still The Best Film About The Bond Between Parent And Child

A Goofy Movie is all about unconditional love and acceptance.

Everyone knows the master of the hyuk hyuk, Goofy. In the early ’90s, he had his own animated series called Goof Troop, which featured the adventures of him and his young son, Max. In 1995, Disney decided to release A Goofy Movie, which takes place three years after the events of the show and features a now-teenage Max. It also turned out to be the best film about the powerful bond between parent and child. And no, this is no exaggeration, because A Goofy Movie hits right in the feels and has stood the test of time.

What is ‘A Goofy Movie’ about?

Max Goof finds himself at a crossroads in life. He wants to win his crush Roxanne’s affection, but he fears he’s doomed to be a klutz like his dad, Goofy. After all, those Goof genes run strong. Max goes all out, putting on an epic lip sync performance of pop star Powerline’s song at the school assembly, which gains Roxanne and Principal Mazur’s attention.

Max’s antics turn him into a popular kid at school, and he invites Roxanne to Powerline’s concert in Los Angeles, which she accepts. However, after Principal Mazur expresses his concern about Max’s behavior to Goofy, the elder Goof decides to take Max on a fishing trip to Idaho in an attempt to save his son from walking down the wrong path in life. Somehow, Max needs to get this trip to take a detour to Los Angeles, so that he can meet up with Roxanne at the concert – without Goofy figuring out his plan.

Max questions who he is

In A Goofy Movie, Max’s arc revolves around identity. He wants to get out of the shadow of his father and be his own person. The Goof surname weighs heavily on him, so he does what he can to differentiate himself from Goofy. It’s only natural, because he’s a teenager and trying to find his place in the world.

Max doesn’t hate Goofy, but he’s embarrassed by his father’s silliness. Goofy isn’t afraid of having fun, even if his playfulness sees others laugh at him for being, well, a goof. For Max, he doesn’t want to become a laughingstock. He wants to – like the famous song from the movie says – stand out and be taken more seriously by others.

Any teenager can relate to how Max feels about Roxanne, too. This crush lasted years, and now there’s a chance for them to build a relationship. His impending date consumes his mind, as he puts pressure on himself for it to be the best day ever for both himself and Roxanne. This leads to him making wild promises to try and impress her. In a way, Max believes he needs to be a different person for her to like him.

Goofy worries about Max

For Goofy, there’s a genuine fear that he’s losing Max in A Goofy Movie. He’s a wonderful and kind father who loves his son, but he thinks they’re drifting apart and Max is becoming someone else. He doesn’t want to lose his Maxie. He tries to address the issue in his own unique way: by doing things he’ll think they’ll bond over. It doesn’t turn out the way that Goofy expects, though, and it hurts his feelings – deeply. 

Goofy’s journey is to accept that Max is growing up and becoming his own person. It isn’t easy to come to terms with this, but Goofy demonstrates his love in the purest way in a powerful scene. Max tells his father, “I’m not your little boy anymore, Dad! I’ve grown up! I’ve got my own life now!” Goofy replies, “I know that! I just wanted to be part of it. You’re my son, Max. No matter how big you get, you’ll always be my son.” It’s a poignant moment that showcases the power of the father-son bond and what each of them need from each other.

‘A Goofy Movie’ is the perfect film about a father and son

For Goofy and Max, A Goofy Movie proves to be transformative to their relationship. As Max tries to find himself, he needs to lose his way briefly. He needs to make mistakes to find his way back to his true values and the person he wants to be. In the process, he realizes that his father loves him, no matter what. By the end of the film, Max isn’t ashamed of his father anymore; he appreciates his originality and calamity, because Goofy’s heart remains in the right place.

In Goofy’s case, he learns to let go and trust Max to make his own decisions. It’s tough for a parent to accept that their child is becoming independent and creating their own life, but he knows he needs to do it and give Max space. Ultimately, this strengthens their relationship and brings them closer than ever as father and son. What’s that? I’m not crying, you’re crying! 

Watch A Goofy Movie on Disney+.