Like Father, Like Son: It Is ‘Goofy,’ but That’s the Point

In the animated musical “A Goofy Movie,” Disney’s dorky top dog tries some father-son bonding by taking his alienated teen-ager, Max, on a fly - fishing trip, but Max, a love-struck hipster, reroutes them to a rock concert in Los Angeles. (Rated G)

*

This movie isn’t likely to offend anyone, except those annoyed by pop psych parenting advice. In fact, the cartoon focuses so intently on real-life, coming-of-age conflict that it makes a live-action movie such as “Dumb and Dumber” look cartoonish by comparison.

According to Bryan Cox, 14, who said he has experienced his share of father-son wilderness bonding excursions, it was “really, really, really, really realistic.”

Max is a sweet bundle of adolescent Angst and energy who wants to impress his lovely classmate Roxanne, become a heavy-metal star and, above all, avoid any resemblance to his guffawing, bucktoothed father, who earns his living taking baby portraits and whose musical tastes never moved past the ‘50s. Is there a teen-ager alive who can’t relate?

Goofy is a single dad who panics when the principal calls to report Max’s last-day-of-school antics and predicts that unless Goofy revises his parenting techniques, Max is likely to wind up in the electric chair.

So Goofy yanks Max away from his first date with Roxanne and onto the road trip--but not before the boy saves face by telling her they are actually going to be in a live-broadcast rock concert and promises to wave to her from the stage. (As 5-year-old Paul Kazyak put it, “Max told a lie.”)

Amid musical adventures involving Big Foot, a runaway car and being swept down the rapids, Goofy runs into another problem--another single dad from the old school, who insists the only way to earn a son’s respect is to exert total control. Preferring the buddy approach, Goofy mistakenly trusts Max to navigate the route to Lake Destiny.

All ends well (hey, this is Disney) after father and son have a touching heart-to-heart. Most kids figured it was Dad who learned the biggest lesson--to let his son be who he is and do what he wants.

“If my mom was like that, weird and stuff, (that advice) could, like, help her,” said Carly Valentine, 9.

Messages aside, the movie delivered what kids love and expect from Disney--toe-tapping tunes, unusual singing animals and outrageous antics.

Younger kids laughed out loud at seeing Big Foot disco dance to the Bee Gees, Max in an inflated life jacket and animals dancing on moving cars.

Unlike youngsters of yesteryear, who were perplexed at what kind of animal Goofy was exactly, today’s kids seem sure he’s a dog. But they still couldn’t tell about all those other high school characters in white gloves and braces.

Bryan and his friend Chris Manning, 13, said they weren’t too old for Disney. “A Goofy Movie” isn’t in the same league as “The Lion King” or “Aladdin,” but Chris had already seen it twice, and both thought it would become a favorite.

“It’s just goofy all around,” Chris said.