The Underdog's Roar: 'Will the Goat's Epic Rise'
Movies First: Film Reviews & InsightsJune 30, 2026x
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00:06:476.26 MB

The Underdog's Roar: 'Will the Goat's Epic Rise'

In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica dive into the delightful animated sports film *GOAT*, which tells the heartwarming story of a small goat with dreams as big as his heart. Set in a vibrant world where Roarball—a thrilling twist on basketball—is dominated by powerful animals like rhinos and polar bears, our protagonist Will Harris faces the ultimate underdog challenge. The hosts discuss how the film cleverly plays with the concept of the "greatest of all time" while delivering a narrative filled with humor, determination, and relatable themes of teamwork and self-belief.

With a standout performance from the voice cast, particularly the dynamic relationship between Will and his idol, Jet Fillmore, the Black Panther, the story unfolds as Jet navigates the transition from star to mentor. Chris and Jessica explore the complexities of Jet's character, who must learn to embrace teamwork and let others shine, making her arc just as compelling as Will's journey.

The episode highlights the film's tension as Will fights not only for his place on the team but also to prove his worth in a world that underestimates him. The stakes are high with a struggling team and Will's personal challenges, including couch surfing and financial struggles. The hosts also touch on the intriguing character of Flo Everson, the Warthog team owner, whose motives add an extra layer of complexity to the narrative.

As the story builds towards an epic showdown against the rival team led by the fierce Mayne Attraction, Chris and Jessica emphasize the emotional core of the film—Will's relationship with his late mother, whose unwavering belief in him serves as his greatest motivation. The discussion also praises the stunning animation from the studio behind *Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse*, showcasing a creatively immersive world filled with a variety of animals and breathtaking visuals.

With a PG rating and a solid score of 7 out of 10, this episode invites listeners to revel in the uplifting spirit of *GOAT*, a film that beautifully blends action, humor, and heart. Join Chris and Jessica as they celebrate the joy of sports, the importance of believing in oneself, and the magic of underdog stories that resonate with audiences of all ages.
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Chris: Okay, so imagine this, a goat. Not just any

00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 goat, but a little goat trying to make it big

00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 in a sport dominated by animals like rhinos,

00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 gorillas and polar bears. That's the premise

00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 of this animated sports movie. And honestly,

00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 it's kind of genius.

00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 Jessica: Oh, uh, I love that setup already. It's such

00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 a clever way to play with the idea of the

00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 goat greatest of all time, while also making

00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 it literal. And the fact that it's a

00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 sports movie with animals, that's such a fun

00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 twist on the classic underdog story.

00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 Chris: Exactly. Will Harris, the goat is this

00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 scrappy little guy with big dreams of playing

00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 Roarball, which is basically basketball, but

00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 with a wild, animalistic twist. The game is

00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 dominated by these massive, powerful animals.

00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 And Will is constantly underestimated because

00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 of his size, but he's got heart, skill

00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 and determination, which makes him such an

00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 easy character to root for.

00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 Jessica: And then there's Jet Fillmore, the Black

00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 Panther, who's a five time All Star and

00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 Will's idol. She's this larger than life

00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 figure who's been dominating the game for

00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 years, but she's also at the tail end of her

00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 career. It sounds like her story is just as

00:01:07 --> 00:01:08 compelling as Will's.

00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 Chris: Oh, absolutely. Jet's arc is all

00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 about learning to let go of the spotlight and

00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 embrace the idea of teamwork. She's been

00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 the star for so long that it's hard for her

00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 to step back and let others shine. But as the

00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 story unfolds, she realizes that Roarball

00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 isn't just about individual glory, it's

00:01:28 --> 00:01:29 about the team.

00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Jessica: And that's such a relatable theme, isn't it?

00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 Whether it's sports, work or life in general,

00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 there comes a point where you have to trust

00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 others and share the load. It's a lesson

00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 that's hard to learn, but so important.

00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 Chris: And then you've got Flo Everson, the

00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 Warthog team owner who brings Will onto the

00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 team. She's such a fascinating

00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 character because her motives are so

00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 questionable. She doesn't bring Will on

00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 because she believes in him. She does it as a

00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 publicity stunt. After seeing a viral video

00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 of him playing. It adds this extra layer of

00:02:04 --> 00:02:05 tension to the story.

00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 Jessica: Right, because Will isn't just fighting to

00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 prove himself on the court m he's also

00:02:11 --> 00:02:12 fighting to prove that he belongs there in

00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 the first place. And the stakes are so

00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 high. The Thorns jets team

00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 are struggling and Will is broke, couch

00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 surfing with friends because he can't pay his

00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 rent. It's such a modern twist, isn't it?

00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 The idea that a viral Moment can change

00:02:28 --> 00:02:29 everything.

00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 Chris: It really is. And it's also a reminder of how

00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 fleeting that kind of fame can be. Will

00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 gets his shot, but it's not handed to him. He

00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 has to fight for every second of game time.

00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 And when he finally gets his chance, it's

00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 because Jet is fouled out. Talk about

00:02:45 --> 00:02:45 pressure.

00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 Jessica: And that moment is such a turning point,

00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 isn't it? It's like the universe is saying,

00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 okay, Will, uh, here's your chance. What are

00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 you going to do with it? And he steps

00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 up. That's what makes his story so

00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 inspiring. He doesn't let the doubters or

00:03:02 --> 00:03:03 even his own self doubt stop him.

00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 Chris: And then there's Manet Attraction, the

00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 Andalusian horse who's Jet's arch rival.

00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 I mean, what a name. Mayne Attraction.

00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 He's this larger than life character who's

00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 clearly a, ah, force to be reckoned with. The

00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 rivalry between him and Jet adds another

00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 layer of tension to the story.

00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 Jessica: Definitely. And the final showdown between

00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 the Thorns and main attractions, Team Magma,

00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 is where everything comes together. It's not

00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 just about winning the championship. It's

00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 about redemption, teamwork and legacy. For

00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 Jet, it's her last chance to go out on top.

00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 For, uh, Will, it's his chance to prove that

00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 he belongs. The stakes couldn't be higher.

00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 Chris: And then there's the emotional core of the

00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 story. Will's relationship with his late

00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 mother, the fact that she believed in him

00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 even when no one else did is such a powerful

00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 motivator for him. It's a reminder that

00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 sometimes all it takes is one person

00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 believing in you to keep you going.

00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 Jessica: Absolutely. And I think that's what makes

00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 this movie resonate on such a deep level.

00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 Yes, it's about sports and competition, but

00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 it's also about family, mentorship and self

00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 belief. Those are themes that anyone can

00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 relate to, whether you're a sports fan or

00:04:18 --> 00:04:18 not.

00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 Chris: And let's talk about the animation for a

00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 second. I mean, this is from the same studio

00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 that brought us across the spider verse.

00:04:27 --> 00:04:28 So, you know, the visuals are going to be top

00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 notch. The attention to detail, the shoes,

00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 the clothing, the soundtrack, it all makes

00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 the world of Roarball feel so immersive and

00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 real.

00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 Jessica: And because it's animated, they can push the

00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 boundaries in ways that live action just

00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 can't. Playing Roarball on ice

00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 in the desert, it's so creative and

00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 visually stunning. And the sheer variety

00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 of animals. They've included a Komodo dragon,

00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 a polar bear, an ostrich. It's like a

00:04:56 --> 00:04:57 zoo came to life on the court.

00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 Chris: And then you've got Stephen Curry as a

00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 producer and the voice of Lenny Williamson,

00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 the giraffe. I m mean, talk about a perfect

00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 fit. Curry's experience as a four time

00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 NBA champion brings so much

00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 authenticity to the film. You can tell that

00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 he and the filmmakers really wanted to

00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 capture the spirit of sports both on and

00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 off the court.

00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 Jessica: Exactly. And, and I think that authenticity

00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 is what sets this movie apart. It's not just

00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 about the game. It's about the culture, the

00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 camaraderie, and even the dirty dealings

00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 behind the scenes. It's a full picture of

00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 what it means to be part of a team and to

00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 chase a dream.

00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 Chris: At the end of the day, it's just fun. It's

00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 good humored, it's high energy and it's got a

00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 little bit of everything. Action, drama,

00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 humor, and heart. It's the kind of movie that

00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 invites you to ride the highs and lows right

00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 along with the characters.

00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 Jessica: And that good versus evil theme, while

00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 familiar, feels fresh because of the unique

00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 twists they've put on it. It's not just about

00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 defeating the bad guys. It's about overcoming

00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 personal obstacles and learning to work

00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 together. That's a message that never gets

00:06:04 --> 00:06:04 old.

00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 Chris: So a, uh, PG rating and a, uh, solid 7 out of

00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 10 sounds like a movie that's perfect for

00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 families, sports fans and. And anyone who

00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 loves a good underdog story. I mean, who

00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 wouldn't want to see a little goat take on

00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 the bigs and come out on top?

00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 Jessica: Exactly. It's one of those movies that leaves

00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 you feeling uplifted and inspired. And

00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 honestly, isn't that what we all need

00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 sometimes?

00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 Voice Over Guy: You've been listening to movies M First

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00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 iHeartRadio or your favorite podcast

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00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 demand@bytes.com this

00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 Chris: has been another quality podcast production

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