Film

Goon

Name: Goon
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2012
Cast: Seann William Scott, Marc-André Grondin, Alison Pill, Jay Baruchel, Liev Schreiber

Action

A comedy-drama about a hapless nobody who discovers his one true talent: fighting. Doug Glatt can't skate and has never played hockey, but he's got fists and heart in spades. *Goon* is warm and funny without winking at its own sincerity—a film that respects its underdog while never letting him off easy.

TMDb rating

3.2

If you liked this

Rocky1976

The template for every underdog story that follows, and it still works because it cares as much about the man as the fight. Stallone's shambling earnestness is exactly Doug's energy.

But Slow pacing and a 1970s aesthetic will feel dated if you need constant movement to stay engaged.

DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story2004

Same DNA—a nobody finds out he's good at something stupid and unlikely, befriends a better athlete, wins hearts. It has the same warmth under the comedy and doesn't overcomplicate things.

But Relies heavily on 2000s comedy rhythms and a parade of celebrity cameos that aged unevenly.

Miracle2004

Another hockey story about unlikely athletes, but told with genuine drama and national stakes. It shares *Goon*'s love for the sport and its small-time dignity.

But It's inspirational in a way that can feel heavy-handed if you don't care about the 1980 Olympics context.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Goon

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Warrior2011

Both understand that fighting isn't about toughness or proving dominance—it's about belonging to something that sees you.

A brutal, unsentimental film about two brothers who collide in an MMA cage. It has *Goon*'s understanding that violence is work, that physicality is expression, and that love is what drives men to break themselves.

But Far darker and more violent, with no comedy to lighten it. If you want warmth, this won't give it to you.

Vision Quest1985

An eighties sports film about an athlete who trains obsessively for a single goal, supported by people who love him. The same gentleness with ambition and masculinity that doesn't need to prove itself.

But Predates the sports movie template we know now, so it meanders in ways modern audiences find frustrating.

Slap Shot1977

The original hockey comedy, starring Paul Newman as a small-town coach. It's bawdier and wilder than *Goon*, but they're spiritual siblings in their love for the game and the people who play it.

But Genuinely crude in ways that haven't aged well, and the pacing assumes patience that's hard to find now.

Friday Night Lights2004

Trades hockey for American football, but has the same grip on how sports bind communities and what happens when those communities fail you. It's serious where *Goon* is funny, but the heart is identical.

But Heavy and didactic about Texas football culture—can feel like a sermon if you don't engage with its specificity.

The Mighty Ducks1992

A comedy about a has-been who coaches a kids' hockey team. It's sugary and simple compared to *Goon*, but shares the belief that hockey is worth caring about and so are the people who play it.

But Aggressively family-friendly in a way that's saccharine, and every plot beat is obvious from frame one.

Happy Gilmore1996

Adam Sandler as an angry guy who discovers he's gifted at something he never expected. It's silly where *Goon* has edges, but the core—a nobody proving himself—is the same.

But Relies on a particular Sandler energy that hasn't aged universally, and the romantic subplot is distracting and weak.

The Wrestler2008

Both are about men whose bodies are their only language, and what happens when the body stops listening.

Mickey Rourke as an aging professional wrestler trying to matter one last time. *Goon* is uplifting; this is tragic. But both films look at athleticism as salvation and see the man, not the spectacle.

But Deeply depressing and repetitive by design. It offers no catharsis, only the slow confirmation of decline.

Necessary Roughness1991

Both films trust that the sport is secondary—what matters is the proof that someone sees you as more than you thought you were.

A scrappy Texas college football film with a similar shape to *Goon*: misfits form a team, win despite having nothing but guts. It's lighter and broader, but has the same faith in underdogs and community.

But Genuinely made in 1991, with pacing and attitudes that feel very much of that moment. You have to accept the era to enjoy it.