GOAT

US, 2016, 91 minutes, Colour.
Ben Schnetzer, Nick Jonas, Virginia Gardner, James Franco, Danny Flaherty.
Directed by Andrew Neal.

Goat is a very American film, a film about initiation rituals and hazing at US colleges, a picture of some of the fraternities and their codes, the abuse of newcomers to incorporate them into the spirit of the fraternity and so create a lifelong buddy system. Other countries have their own experiences of hazing – especially initiation into the military.

This film shows some of the rituals quite graphically and physically disturbingly with the screenplay particularly critical of this kind of uber-male mentality.

Ben Schnetzer (The Book Thief, Pride) is Brad, a young man about to enter a college, a minor college, yet one with pride, a college where his older brother, Brett, is a respected senior. Brett is played quite effectively by the singer, Nick Jonas. At the opening of the film, we see some of the raucous behaviour of the students, behaviour which involves drugtaking as well as sexual encounters. Brad backs out of this behaviour and is asked by some young strangers to give them a lift, something he is reluctant to do but technically accepts.

The audience identifies with Brad and his uncertainty, having to drive the two young men further and further, out into the country where he stops. He is brutally assaulted and forced to hand over his ATM number. Bewildered by this experience, he goes home, eventually confiding in Brett and going to the police who do not believe him, thinking he was on some kind of drug deal.

This experience has a profound influence on his entry in college, his decision to participate in the hazing rituals, and his determination not to give up and to persevere – with the presumption that by undergoing these experiences he would become something of a man, a stronger man. At heart, he has been a fairly soft young man, something he has in common with the roommate he finds himself with at college.

When the hazing starts, with the young men being referred to as goats, the senior students almost seem like parodies of military Sergeant Majors, barking out orders, profanities, demanding loyalties, and ordering the initiates to humiliate themselves, wallow in dirt and mud, be deceived by bananas substituting for phalluses, drinking themselves sick… And leaving them huddled together overnight. As he watches, Brett is more and more alienated from the rituals, backing off because of studies.

This makes Brad determined to persevere and proud when he and the group have successfully undergone the humiliations. The crisis emerges when the roommate, a physically and psychological fragile person, collapses athletic training. It means that there have to be enquiries by the Dean of studies, the senior students preparing a cover-up, but the authorities getting to know what actually happened. Was Brad talking as the seniors assumed? Was it Brett?

Afterwards, Brad and Brett go to the police, look at a group of men in a lineup, with Brad unable or unwilling to identify anyone – and then his going to visit the place where the assault happened, and the audience seeing him reflect on the experience as well as the consequences of college and the film leaves the audience to contemplate with him what might happen in his future.

The theme gets an extra emphasis by a cameo from James Franco as a veteran member of the fraternity, full of enthusiastic platitudes, singing the fraternity song with gusto, drinking himself unconscious after having praised the fraternity as a group of civilised gentleman. The critique of the fraternities, the hazing and this kind of supremacist male behaviour and attitudes is very clear.

1. The title, the ritual goat, the theme of the scapegoat? The pledges seen as goats and addressed as goats?

2. The American town, home, bars, the countryside and open road? The campus, the grounds, the rooms and houses? The venues for the hazing, the basements? The musical score – and the touch of the ominous?

3. A film about male behaviour, bonding, fraternities, spirit, fanaticism and pride, self-expression, alcohol, drugs, sex, gratification not relationship, gay and phallic symbols, the hints of bestiality, the Pledges and their initiation by the previous group – and their becoming the next group? The acceptance of this kind of ritual and brotherhood for males?

4. The visualising of the hazing – and the critique? Audience response, interest, disgust?

5. The initial party, the stripper and the lascivious men, the two girls kissing, the drugs? Brad and his leaving, Brett and his staying with the girl? The men asking for a lift, Brad being pleasant, driving a long way, fear, stopping, the ATM number, taking the car, the brutal bashing?

6. Brad, bewildered, walking, home, the injuries to his face, the encounter with Brett? The policeman not believing him, accusing him of the drug deal? His being bashed, issues of his fears, masculinity – and motivation for going to college and for the pledging?

7. Going to college, Brett and his friends, their spirit, brash and bravado?

8. James Franco, his appearance, his speech, enthusiasm, hitting Brad, singing the fraternity song, the over-enthusiasm? His talk about civilised group of gentlemen? Seeing him passed out, drunk?

9. Brad and Will, sharing the room, seemingly weak young men, yet determined to be accepted?

10. The seniors, the fraternity, phi sigma mu, spirit, extreme, the abuse of the young men, the language of fags and bitches, demanding obedience, loyalty, unquestioning? Being called Sir? The forced drinking, the vomiting, stripping, and the mud wrestling, covered in muck, the toilet and the banana, the banana as the phallus, the nights together, drinking from the keg, passing out, ringing the bell, the threat of sex with the goat?

11. The overall effect, seeming ridiculous, serious, psychological and physical damage, the continued determination, the need for acceptance? To be seen as an American male?

12. Brett, his character, opting out, confronting Brad, Brad and his reasons for persevering?

13. Will, quiet man, the exercise, running, collapse and death, the funeral?

14. The men gathering, a cover story? Chance and his leadership? Talking to the dean, seeing Brad outside?

15. Brad, leading the goat into the quadrangle? In his room, the laxatives and the mess?

16. Brad talking with the Dean, not giving away anything, challenging the dean and his knowledge? Brett acknowledging that he spoke the truth? His punching out Chance?

17. Going to the police, the lineup, Brad unable to identify his assailant?

18. Going with Brett to the scene of the bashing – and the final glimpse, his stocktaking?