GOAT Review: Stephen Curry’s Inclusive, Richly Animated Basketball Film Soars Above its Conventional Rim

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Sports movies often follow familiar patterns – like the inspiring story of an underdog, the tale of an aging athlete proving their worth, the ambitious player no one believes in, or a scrappy team overcoming limited resources. This film uses all of those tropes, and while it shouldn’t work given how predictable it is, it surprisingly succeeds.

Tyree Dillihay’s first film as director is a truly impressive and beautifully animated achievement. While the script by Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley occasionally relies on familiar tropes of feel-good sports movies, it uses them skillfully and with just the right amount of originality. The filmmakers clearly understand what makes sports stories so captivating – the clear contrast between heroes and villains, the power of hard work, and the inspiring physical artistry of the game. GOAT doesn’t reinvent the sports movie genre, but it reminds us why we love watching these stories unfold again and again.

GOAT’s Unique Qualities and Emphasis on Diversity Paper Over Its Clichés

Stephen Curry, the future Hall-of-Famer for the Golden State Warriors, is also a producer and voice actor, and his influence is clearly present in the film GOAT. The movie centers on Will Harris, played by Caleb McLaughlin of Stranger Things, a talented but undersized teenage basketball player who faces constant doubt because of his height. While GOAT initially feels like a celebration of Curry himself, it ultimately explores a more significant theme: the positive impact of inclusivity and diversity in sports. It’s less about one player’s skills and more about what happens when opportunities are opened to everyone.

Will is a kid completely obsessed with roarball, a sport very similar to basketball but played by large animals on unique courts designed around specific landscapes. He dreams of playing professionally, despite being much smaller than the typical roarball player. Will is a huge fan of his local team, the Vineland Thorns, who play in a greenhouse overrun with plants and wildlife. Other teams play in equally unusual locations – one on an active volcano, another on a frozen tundra, and so on. The world of roarball, with its diverse animal players and specialized courts, is similar in concept to the movie Zootopia.

Will is completely focused on achieving his dream, so he doesn’t let comments about his height bother him. He’s so dedicated, in fact, that he’s struggling financially, just managing to make ends meet as a delivery driver at the diner where his mother once worked. The beginning of the movie GOAT spends too much time on things like social media and money problems – issues that feel inappropriate and slow down the pace for a film aimed at children.

One day, while playing basketball at a local court known as The Cage, Will unexpectedly challenges Mane, the league’s most boastful player. Mane initially scoffs at Will, but quickly realizes the entire crowd is recording them. They then play a one-on-one game, and though Will narrowly loses, his friends Hannah and Daryl capture the game and create a highlight reel that quickly spreads online.

The timing couldn’t be better. Jett Filmore (Gabrielle Union), considered by many to be the greatest roarball player ever, is struggling to lift her struggling team, and her greedy owner, Flo (Jenifer Lewis), spots a chance to make everyone happy—and a profit. That’s why the team makes a big move by signing Will, a relatively unknown player, to a major league contract.

Okay, so the middle part of the movie? Honestly, it felt a little…familiar. It fell into a lot of the same tropes you see in pretty much every sports movie out there, and it started to drag. What really bothered me was Jett’s initial dislike of her teammate – it didn’t feel justified, you know? The writers seemed unsure if they wanted her to be this untouchable, LeBron-level icon or a lone wolf, like Allen Iverson. It made her character feel really inconsistent. Thankfully, the supporting players were a lot more interesting and each had their own distinct personality, which saved things a bit.

I’m totally rooting for this team! It’s led by Archie, a rhino and a single dad who’s a real powerhouse on defense. Then there’s Olivia, an incredibly fast ostrich who loves to look fabulous. Lenny, this huge giraffe, has been all over the league and now he’s even making music as a rapper – it’s hilarious! And Modo? He’s a Komodo dragon, and honestly, he’s a bit of a wild card, like a Dennis Rodman type. It’s a pretty unusual group, but watching them actually start winning and make a run for the playoffs is just… really rewarding. You can’t help but cheer for these guys!

Kroll is particularly funny playing the unpredictable character with a Russian accent, but the film’s most refreshing quality is how it handles gender and sexuality. It features a female star athlete and a defensive player who is subtly portrayed as bisexual, all within the bounds of what’s appropriate for a children’s movie. Director Dilllihay cleverly suggests that if the game is simply about playing the game, then everyone should be included, and sports should be open to all. This message is especially important right now, when LGBTQ+ and athletes of color are often unfairly targeted.

Ultimately, the documentary GOAT delivers a heartwarming, though somewhat basic, message. The way people talk about Will, both within the basketball world and in the media, echoes how pioneers in any sport are often treated. They focus on his perceived weaknesses or easily noticeable traits, and he has to overcome those expectations to prove his true potential. It’s a journey that likely mirrors the one Jett experienced, though in a different story.

GOAT really delivers. It’s a slam dunk! The roarball scenes are incredibly exciting, the humor is lighthearted and charming, and the movie is full of fun nods to basketball history – like Michael Jordan’s famous performance during the 1997 flu game, Paul Pierce’s memorable 2008 Finals game, and even the story of the Seattle Sonics. It’s a classic underdog story – or, in this case, an under-goat story – that will appeal to a new generation eager for a more inclusive sport.

GOAT releases theatrically on February 13th, 2026.

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2026-02-09 20:13