Dingo et Max

This one seemed to pass without notice in the theaters which is what I figured it deserved, but upon seeing it some time later on video I was surprised at how much fun this buddies on the road flick really is.

Goofy is, for the most part, the lighthearted walking disaster we'd expect him to be. But surprsingly enough, he shows a serious range of emotion, and actually pulls it off. You really can sense his devotion to his son, Max, and you never have to remind yourself that Goofy would have ever been anything but a deeply caring father. It just works naturally as a genuine extension of his gregarious character. Max himself is believably adoloscent, primarily concerned with getting asked to parties and getting the pretty girl to notice him and hoping his father doesn't publicly humiliate him (which he does, frequently), until his dad forces him along on a fishing trip which becomes a test of conscience for the both of them. The movie mixes Goofy's classic slapstick comedy with serious drama and seems to know just when to switch gears to keep from getting too melodramatic or losing sight of the conflict at the center of the story. In the end, the dramatic bits feel surprisingly honest and human and the comedy is, as I said, classic Goofy schtick. It was made when Disney thought EVERYthing they did had to be a musical, but the songs here work into the story fairly easily, and a couple are even catchy.

The only sad part is that the age group which could probably stand to learn the most from it will unequivocally find it "uncool". Oh well, the younger set as well as more mature people who love to laugh will find it plenty entertaining.