In the high-concept world of Sony Picture Animation’s Goat, what happens off the court is just as important as the game played on it.
In this case, that game is lowerball. It’s a very intense co-ed version of basketball. Will Harris (Caleb McLaughlin), a Boer goat with big dreams, aspires to play professionally despite his short stature. And just like in the real world of the fictional sport, in this animal-only movie world, the Roarball is the ultimate culture-defining thing.
Across six biomes around the world, Roar League players are bona fide icons, filling arenas and fending off paparazzi. Will grows up admiring Black Panther Jett Fillmore (Gabriel Union), the star of the Vineland Thorns. The Whiskers Diner where he works is decorated from top to bottom with Jett memorabilia, and like Will’s room, posters of the Lowerball legend are plastered on the ceiling. Like real-life NBA players, the four-legged players wear flashy, high-end athleisure with stacks of chains and have their own limited edition sneaker models in their off-time.
With basketball at the intersection of music, art, technology and fashion, Goat, produced by four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, draws on a wealth of material to create an animated world that reflects the real-life nature of the sport’s enduring place in today’s pop culture. “Space Jam” and “Zootopia” may be easy comparisons at first, but no animated film has immersed viewers in the world of basketball quite like “Goat.”
“We wanted to make this multifaceted film that touched on culture in many ways,” said Tyree Dillihay, who directed Goat with Adam Rosette. “Yes, I understand the action on the court. But it’s good to understand the real lifestyle off the court.”
Inspired by Chris Taugas’ picture book Funky Dunks, Goat follows Will’s journey from being a rolling ball fan to becoming a professional player when his owner, Flo Everson (Jennifer Lewis), signs a warthog with perfectly manicured hooves to the underperforming Thorns. But before that, Will works as a delivery goat to pay the rent and uses his free time to shoot hoops at the local streetball court.
This is a classic underdog story, reflecting his experiences trying to find success as an athlete. Basketball, in particular, proved to be the perfect sport to illustrate this journey, Union said, because unlike soccer, it is a “global game” and has few initial barriers to entry. “If you have a ball and a hoop or a ball and a bucket, you can play,” she explained.
How did Flo find out about Will? Thanks to a blockbuster video in which Will competes against Mane Attraction (Aaron Pierre), an Andalusian horse and rival lowerball player at Lava Court Magmus, in an impromptu pick-up game.
This is one of the many nods the film makes to the evolving role of social media in the sports world. At one point, the Thorns’ coach, proboscis monkey Dennis (Patton Oswalt), jokes to Will that he has to limit screen time for ostrich Olivia Burke (Nicola Coughlan), but she often ends up scrolling to see what the critics are saying about her. In another moment, longtime rivals Jett and Mane trade jabs at each other on a livestream as thousands of Lower Ball fans tune in and cheer them on in the comments.
Mane, who has established himself as the bad boy of lowerball, also released a diss track directed at none other than Will, “Goat Tears,” in which he rapped lines like “I’m the Godfather, call me Pony Soprano.” While it hasn’t been confirmed that the track was specifically inspired by real-life clashes, basketball fans will immediately recall some iconic hip-hop head-to-heads that have cemented this diss track as a storied tradition between rivals.
“Who hasn’t heard Damian Lillard scream? If he wasn’t a basketball player, he would be a rap star,” Union said. “I remember when Shaq had a rap album.”
Even more appealing than Manet’s humorous lyrics are his streetwear looks. Wearing a mesh tank to show off his muscles, Rick Owens-inspired shorts and red-soled sneakers, and complete with tons of glitter and gold teeth, his ensemble, like the rest of the character’s looks, is directly inspired by the off-duty attire of real NBA stars.
Costume designer Dominic Dawson, a longtime fan of the game, used his fashion knowledge and streetwear culture arsenal to tell the story. She was particularly immersed in the streetball subculture when she was first contracted to costume the cast of an anime.
“Athletes who just love to compete, they’re not getting paid,” Dawson explained. “What is that fashion like? Because they have so much more freedom to wear what they want to wear and express themselves.”
Before Will turned pro, his oversized gray hoodie, layered T-shirt, and baggy basketball shorts recall the silhouette of a real-life ballplayer who needed clothing to seamlessly transition from on-court to off-court. “When he was working, he could practice and be on the court right after work,” Dawson said. “His focus is basketball.”
Of course, the film also shines a light on the game’s more high-fashion elements, particularly its now-infamous tunnel walk. This pregame tradition has turned into a showcase for NBA players’ stunningly extravagant, often designer looks. Jett usually wears a catsuit (no kidding), but for especially important games, he trades his sporty look for a sparkling gold halter top and empire-waist pants. “It was a lot of fun to get so many people to dress so well,” Dawson said.
Goat’s Archie (David Harbour), Olivia (Nicola Coughlan), Jett (Gabriel Union), Lenny (Steph Curry), Will (Caleb McLaughlin), and Modo (Nick Kroll).
Provided by Sony Pictures Animation
“My husband (three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade) was interested in this fashion early on. He got a lot of hits, especially with that ill-fated jumpsuit,” Union added, referring to the plunging look Wade wore in an Esquire photo shoot. “But he was leading like that. And now you see the tunnel walk, and it’s a runway. That’s what this game does and always reflects what’s going on in the culture.”
And since it wouldn’t be a basketball movie without sneakers, Dillihey said sneakers fit “naturally” into the world of rolling balls. “I’ve been part of the sneaker community for a long time,” he continued. “Sneakers are an extension of basketball culture. There are sneakers for on-court, and there are sneakers for off-court. It’s just part of the lifestyle.”
Indeed, sneakers are the star of Goat.
Before he hit the big leagues and needed cash, Will resold his bright Fillmore 4s (the Jets’ signature shoe), and an original pair of the shoes is on display at the Vineland diner. Throughout, players will exclusively sport a variety of neon-colored styles brought to life by production designer Jang Lee, who adapted existing UnderArmour models for the design. (If you’re a sneakerhead, you might know the sneaker store owner. Here’s a pun: “Sneaky.” Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping” host Joe La Puma provides the voice of the vulture.)
Will Harris (Caleb McLaughlin) and Jett (Gabriel Union) in “Goat.”
©Sony Pictures/Courtesy of Everett Collection
One of the things that makes the world of Goat so absorbing is its attention to detail. To create authentic plays, the film’s team consulted real basketball players. That includes 19-year NBA veteran Andre Iguodala, who also voices the zebras who serve as referees.
“One of my favorite things about it is how realistic the actual basketball movement and animation is,” said Curry, who also voices the Thorns’ giraffe, Lenny Williamson. “You can see how smooth the movements are.”
Curry isn’t the only player to voice a character. Wade will join as Shadows’ lowerballing bull, Kevin Love as the gorilla and Aja Wilson as the alligator. Angel Reese is the voice of the polar bear who plays Shivers.
“They followed the process and what they brought was a level of credibility that you would get from an NBA pro athlete or a WNBA pro athlete,” Dillihay said. “We asked them to trash talk, and a lot of it was ad-libbing from their own mouths. They brought their own energy, their own intensity.”
And while Union may not be a professional herself, Jett is one of the league’s most iconic figures, and the fact that she’s a woman represents another shift in basketball’s culture. “When you go to (WNBA team) Chicago Sky games, there’s a line of kids, boys and girls. They want to be Angel Reese,” Union said. “In the movie, the line that Will says when he was a child, “I want to be like her,” really resonates with me.”
she says: “As they say, the ball is life!”
Jazz Tancay and Angelique Jackson contributed to this article.
