So, a red band trailer for “Goon” — which was presumably made for Russia given the subtitles — has arrived, and while Michael Dowse has boldly proclaimed the hockey comedy to be like “ ‘Raging Bull‘ on ice,” that’s unfortunately not the case. About as lunkheaded as its lead character, “Goon” wobbles all over as it skates through the two minutes plus of footage that we see. Kevin Smith needn’t worry about this hockey comedy getting out of the gate before his gestating “Hit Somebody.”
Starring Jay Baruchel, Seann William Scott, Alison Pill, Marc-Andre Grondin, Liev Schrieber and Eugene Levy, the film follows a bouncer (Scott) who is recruited to join a rag tag hockey team after impressing the coach with his “fist of God” and inspires them to greatness. But he’s not exactly a goal scorer. Instead Scott’s abilities as a bruiser are put into effect to give the team some muscle? His rival (and really the best part of the trailer) — a mustachioed and ripped Liev Schrieber who looks to be fully enjoying chewing the scenery. But other than that, this far-more-farcical-than-we-figured flick seems to be playing strictly for the cheap seats. Dowse, who is no stranger to dumb comedy having directed the stupid funny “Fubar,” achieves a tone here more frat and not so much hilarious. It’s a bit disappointing as the hockey film genre could surely use a worthy comedy that isn’t “Slap Shot.”
No release date has been set for the film yet, but Dowse is hoping to premiere it at TIFF and there’s no real reason why that shouldn’t happen. We figure a hockey season release later this fall will follow. Check it out below.
