Goon (2011)
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A polite but dimwitted bouncer finds his calling as a minor league hockey enforcer.
The story
Doug Glatt is a polite, kind-hearted, but dim-witted bouncer at a local dive bar in the fictional hockey crazed town of Orangetown, Massachusetts. After defending a friend from a homophobic slur, Doug is offered a tryout to be an enforcer for the hometown team, the Orangetown Assassins. Despite being a poor skater, he trains relentlessly to join the team. Meanwhile, legendary veteran enforcer Ross "The Boss" Rhea is demoted to the minors. As Doug's reputation grows, he earns the nickname "Doug the Thug" and is eventually hired by the Halifax Highlanders to protect a skilled prospect, Xavier Laflamme.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Doug Glatt, a polite but dim-witted bouncer in Orangetown, Massachusetts, becomes a minor league hockey enforcer for the Halifax Highlanders after defending a friend. He earns the nickname "Doug the Thug" and is tasked with protecting skilled prospect Xavier Laflamme. While Doug becomes popular with fans, he faces disapproval from his parents and Laflamme. Doug also begins a romance with Eva, a hockey fan. During a road game in Quebec, Doug is suspended after savagely beating an opponent who hit Laflamme. While suspended, he meets the legendary Ross "The Boss" Rhea, who warns him that they are both "goons." After a period of tension and a brief reconciliation with Laflamme, the Highlanders face the St. John's Shamrocks in a final playoff push. In the deciding game, Doug and Rhea agree to fight. Despite re-breaking his ankle, Doug refuses to back down and eventually defeats Rhea, knocking out his tooth. Inspired by Rhea's defeat, Laflamme scores a natural hat trick, securing the win for the Highlanders.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- Canada; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Michael Dowse
- Writers
- Jay Baruchel · writer; Evan Goldberg · writer
- Cast and characters
- Seann William Scott · Doug "The Thug" Glatt; Liev Schreiber · Ross "The Boss" Rhea; Jay Baruchel; Alison Pill; Marc-André Grondin; Kim Coates; Eugene Levy
- Genres
- sports comedy
- Themes
- identity; protection; sportsmanship
- Tone and mood
- crude; slapstick; heartfelt
- Premise and plot tags
- sports; comedy; hockey; underdog
- Source material / true-story basis
- Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey by Adam Frattasio and Douglas Smith
- Franchise connections
- Goon
- Content notes
- homophobic slur
- Reception
- The film received largely positive reviews from critics but was a box office failure. It became a sleeper hit on Netflix and developed a cult following.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Director · 1st Canadian Screen Awards · Nomination; Best Cinematography · 1st Canadian Screen Awards · Nomination; Best Adapted Screenplay · 1st Canadian Screen Awards · Nomination; Best Makeup · 1st Canadian Screen Awards · Nomination; Best Supporting Actor · 1st Canadian Screen Awards · Nomination; Best Supporting Actor · 1st Canadian Screen Awards · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film is an adaptation of the autobiography of Doug Smith.; Some scenes are based on actual incidents, such as Glatt scoring a goal off his butt.; The Hot Ice public access TV show featured actors from Trailer Park Boys as control room staff.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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