A Goofy Movie is one of those films that I have seen a ridiculous number of times because I used to watch it a lot growing up. Unlike many of my childhood favorites, I have seen it at least once or twice as an adult. However, I have not watched it within the last five years.
But I still remembered the movie pretty well before this rewatch. A Goofy Movie turns 30 in 2025, so I wanted to celebrate this milestone by rewatching it. It was such a vital part of my adolescence that I gladly took the trip with Goofy and Max.
The thing with childhood favorites is that sometimes my perspective changes watching them as an adult versus as a child. That’s common because with age comes different forms of enlightenment and points of view. However, I am still sometimes amazed by what new lens I’ll have after rewatching a movie, especially many years later.
A Goofy Movie is still one of my favorite animated films and debatably one of the best Disney movies of the ‘90s. This rewatch just made me even more convinced of this, especially because of my changing opinion on this one particular aspect.
Even As A Child, I Was On Goofy’s Side With Parenting
I was not a rebellious child. Some may say I was a goody-goody twoshoe, so Max's rebellion against his father was outrageous to me. This is not to say I didn’t have many issues with my parents growing up, but it was less about my rebellion. I followed rules. I was also a Disney kid, so I grew up watching lots of Disney programs, and Goofy was well known to me by the time I saw A Goofy Movie. Therefore, I am obviously going to side with my old friend Goofy and not this teen named Max.
Additionally, A Goofy Movie was released during a time when I was still too young to really relate to the teenage need for freedom. I also liked Max, but just not enough to think anything Goofy did was overboard. He was just this kindhearted dork trying to help his son. In my eyes, Max was the unreasonable one in this situation.
As An Adult, I Realize Max And Goofy Both Made Valid Points
Now that I am an adult, I can see some of the faults in Goofy’s behavior. He should have talked to Max instead of making assumptions. He assumed he would become a criminal from one misbehavior, but he should have known his son well enough to understand it wasn’t going to be a repeated offense. Additionally, Goofy made all these plans without considering Max’s life. Yes, as the parent, he has the authority. However, children and parents have better relationships when they communicate.
Max is also still wrong in this situation. He lies to his father, manipulates the situation to his favor, and often judges and disrespects Goofy. Goofy and Max could learn to respect each other and communicate better. By the end of A Goofy Movie, they bond and get to a new level of understanding and respect.
They each must learn from the other to improve their relationship. There is no hero or villain in this situation. It’s just two people who love each other but are not the best at knowing what the other needs and wants.
I Think A Goofy Movie Works Because It Understands Children's And Adults’ Perspectives
I think one major plus of Disney movies is that they don’t seem to judge parents or children harshly. They can assess a situation between the two fairly. A Goofy Movie and other great Disney movies of that decade have parent and child conflicts that find resolutions that don’t make either side look terrible. Teens are going to rebel, and their parents are going to smother them. They just need to learn a better way to deal with it and talk it out during this inevitable and natural part of development.
As a child watching it, many will likely side with Max. Goofy is being unreasonable, irrational, and embarrassing. By adulthood, you likely remember that teenage angst with your parents, and now may be the overprotective parent like Goofy. Because you have been on both sides, you can understand and appreciate each perspective. I don’t think teens who have only been in Max's position can fully appreciate Goofy’s side, too. Then there might be some kids who are Team Goofy no matter what (hello, younger self). As an adult, you learn to understand nuance.
You don’t have to pick a side.
I Also Like How A Goofy Movie Is Fair To Each Character
As previously stated, Goofy and Max behave questionably at times. Goofy can be uncompromising and judgmental. He can also be very loving and goes out of his way to make his son happy and his dreams come true. Max can be self-centered and dishonest. However, he has a good heart and is brave and kind when not so self-involved. Max and Goofy are likable as well as frustrating at times. A Goofy Movie never lets one look completely at fault. Their issues are shared and common.
Many families have problems because of a lack of communication and not seeing things from the other’s perspective. A Goofy Movie screenwriters Jymn Magon, Chris Matheson, and Brian Pimental offer no real judgment towards Max or Goofy, but instead try to elicit some understanding and sympathy for both parties. It works.
The Resolution Works Because Of The Film’s Sympathy For Both Characters
This story ends with Max choosing to hang with Goofy. The father and son have been through so much, including a near-death experience, that it bonds them even more. This is what makes the film such a strong father-son movie. They have also made decisions that hurt and helped their relationship.
One of the reasons A Goofy Movie is still popular is its characters. Even with someone like Pete, you can understand why he is the way he is and how that will always hurt his relationship with PJ. However, just like you know parents similar to Goofy, you probably also know ones like Pete. They’re hard to like, but they’re not monsters. This makes the movie a very human film. Human in its understanding that it’s not always straightforward with bad guys, good guys, wrong, and right.
Sometimes, people are just making the best decisions they can with their limited abilities.
I Can Now Connect To Both Characters And Believe The Movie Is Also About Generational Gaps
As I age, I am becoming that “back in my day” person. I am old enough to judge the younger generation for their choices, taste in music, and so on. We all eventually age into the judgy adult we swore we'd never become (at least I have). Goofy sort of represents generational wars.
Generations will actively battle no matter what. We’ll never quite understand each other, but it’s about finding a way to meet in the middle, communicate, and learn to respect one another. That’s the only way to coexist. We see how much better Goofy and Max connect when they don’t behave so combatively.
A Goofy Movie is one of the best things to stream this week. It’s a hit of nostalgia that you can only get from classic Disney films.