Goon (2011) - ActionFest Buffet 3.0: Plate #2

On the Menu: GOON (2011)

Ingredients: Seann William Scott, Liev Schreiber, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Eugene Levy, Kim Coates and Marc-André Grondin. Directed by Michael Dowse. Run time: 92 minutes. Rated: R.

At First Bite: I was hoping this movie was going to make the lineup for ActionFest 2012. I had been seeing posts about it from Magnet Releasing on my Facebook news feed for a while. Once ActionFest added it to this year's schedule, I marked it as my first must-see flick.

Doug Glatt (Scott) is a bouncer, who spends time watching hockey with his best friend, Ryan (Baruchel). Doug idolizes one of the league's toughest players, Ross Rhea (Schreiber), but doesn't actually play hockey himself. He can't even skate.

Doug and Ryan go to check out the local hockey team one night, and one of the players picks a fight with Doug in the stands.

The aftermath leads to Doug being picked up by the Halifax Highlanders.

Even though he still can't skate.

Tough to Swallow: In the locker room before Doug's first Highlanders game, the players have on white socks, but when LaFlamme walks in the room all the socks change to blue.

The Highlanders are located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but there are Manitoba signs in the background of shots throughout the movie.

Credit for MTL Tomahawk #1 is misspelled as Tomahawak.

Something to Chew On: Based on the true story of Doug Smith.

Adapted from the novel "Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey" by Smith and Adam Frattasio.

Clips of some of Smith's fights play during the closing credits.

Kevin Smith originally cast Scott as the goon in his 2013 hockey movie HIT SOMEBODY, but in November 2010 announced Nicholas Braun would play the role instead.

Aftertaste: Oh, man, this movie is just plain brutal.

Is it comparable to SLAP SHOT? I think it's better. Yeah, yeah, shoot me. In my opinion, Doug is just as dumb as the Hanson brothers, but he's easier on the eyes and tougher than all three combined. GOON is funnier, bloodier and more warmhearted.

You know right from the beginning it's going to be over the top. Blood is dripping on the ice in slow motion to the classical music of Puccini, and then a tooth follows. Not often do I really take notice of a soundtrack when watching a film, but the music here is really complementary to the action and sometimes helps get a laugh.

Baruchel's character is a little much, but not enough to totally take you out of the movie. Levy and Coates are underused, but the movie is about Doug and it's only 92 minutes.

I would say this is Scott's PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Doug is the antithesis of the typical characters Scott portrays. His performance probably won't garner any accolades, but it does deserve some type of recognition. I'd guess his best chance would be at the MTV Movie Awards (Best Performance or Best Fight).

To me, GOON was the second-best film of ActionFest 2012.

Wanna fight about it?

Rating: