GOAT Review: Cute… But Very Far From The Greatest Of All Time

Modo, Lenny, Will, Olivia, Jett and Archie in GOAT.

To the great credit of director Tyree Dillihay’s GOAT, the film opens with a dynamic that I’ve never seen portrayed before in any film. Set a decade before the main narrative, the prologue sees its protagonist as a young kid – pun most definitely intended – brought to an arena where his idol is getting set to play: the female star Jett Fillmore (voiced by Gabrielle Union). In our world, professional sports are bifurcated based on gender, and cinema traditionally maintains that split in reflecting fanhood, but that depicted segregation doesn’t really match reality, and the fact that the new animated movie shows that upfront is unique and instantly refreshing.

GOAT

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Animation)

Release Date: February 13, 2026
Directed By: Tyree Dillihay
Written By: Aaron Buchsbaum & Teddy Riley (screenplay) and Nicolas Curcio and Peter Chiarelli (screen story)
Starring: Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Aaron Pierre, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Jenifer Lewis, and Patton Oswalt
Rating: PG for some rude humor and brief mild language
Runtime: 100 minutes