'GOON'

'GOON' (R) (3 1/2 STARS)

Written by Jay Baruchel and Evan Goldberg based on the book
"The True Story of an Unlikely Journey Into Minor League Hockey"
Directed by Michael Dowse
Actors: Sean William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Liev Schreiber, Eugene Levy, Marc-Andre Grondin

I have been waiting for the kind of sports movie "Goon" is for such a long time. There have been weak attempts at the vulgar, sports comedy like "Semi-Pro" and the awful "Bad News Bears" remake. "Goon" is the funniest and best sports comedy since "White Men Can't Jump" in 1992. "Goon" is based on a true story of Hockey enforcer Doug Glatt who became an unlikely star in minor league hockey. If you loved the Hockey comedy classic "Slapshot" you will have a deep admiration for "Goon".

I laughed out loud a lot during "Goon" and it has a nicely understated and sweet, charming performance by Sean William Scott as Doug. The jokes are very vulgar and there is tons of nasty profanity and I loved it for I am sick of the safe PG-13 sports fluff lately. The movie is very violent and crude but you will fall in love with Doug and there is a sweet love story that is well written and just right as a bonus.

Doug Glatt was a former security guy and Bouncer who one day goes to a minor league hockey game with his friend Pat. At the game Doug gets into a fight with one of the hockey players in the stands. Doug knocks the player out with one punch and splits his helmet and that impresses one of the coaches. Doug can't even skate but that doesn't matter to the Coach who will use him as just muscle. Doug is talented with his fists but he is kind of dumb. The Coach will send Doug to his brother who is the coach of a minor league team in Canada.

Doug will get into a lot of nasty, bloody fights and he becomes great at what he is being used for. There is a great running joke as Doug's new coach, wonderfully played by veteran character actor Kim Coates, tells Doug to just do what he is told to do which is get into fights and distract the other team. I thought the fights in "Slapshot" were bloody and violent but not compared to the ones in "Goon". The movie is great because the fights depicted here look real and the movie doesn't hold back. The fights are so outrageous you will find yourself laughing at them. There is also some classic trash talk, very funny one liners that are delightfully vulgar and some very funny supporting teammates.

The movie is definitely inspired by "Slapshot" but the story is true and original in where it is heading to. There are many subplots going on here that I loved and that I found intriguing. One plot has Doug heading towards a showdown with a legendary and brutal enforcer named Ross Rhea, beautifully played by Liev Schreiber, who is about to retire and is on his last run. The second one deals with Doug's relationship with a once promising Patrick Kane type star who has lost his way. The third is my favorite and it deals with a sweet love story between Doug and Eva who sleeps around and loves hockey players. I love how Eva reluctantly falls in love with Doug who may seem dumb and violent on the outside but is sweet and caring on the inside.

So you have a sports movie that is about hockey but that non hockey fans might like. You have a vulgar but hugely funny sports movie that men will eat up but women will love also. The movie has well written characters, great acting and a huge charm along with the outlandish, thrilling and funny fights. The movie has that wonderful, gritty, independent, low budget look of great character based sports movies of the 70's that I love, no fake Hollywood gloss. I have always loved Sean William Scott and here he proves to me that he has star quality and can act.

I think everyone will fall in love with the story and the characters in this movie. Also hockey fans and movie goers who love hockey and sports comedies will have such a great time at this movie and will appreciate it. This reminds me of another low budget charmer about boxing called "The Hammer" with Adam Carolla. Both of these movies would make a great double feature for sports enthusiasts, lovers of sports comedies and those that admire, sweet, low key love stories. "Goon" has balls, great big laughs and a lot of charm. I love movies that come out of left field and knock us silly like Doug does to his opponents and give us a great time. I was surprised to find out that "Goon" is my favorite movie of 2012 so far.

P.S. I loved the way "Goon" uses classical music to enhance some of the story. It reminds me of how classical music was used so perfectly in my favorite baseball movie of all time, the original "Bad News Bears".