So if you don't know, there was a 2012 movie called "Goon" which was made on a shoestring budget and starred Sean William Scott, written by the guy who voices Hiccup in those "How to Train Your Dragon" movies.
It had a bit of success, even getting nominated at the Canadian Screen Awards (yes, that's a thing apparently) and so on this weekend, probably the slowest weekend in the history of film, the best new release we got is a movie with Stifler.
He's this minor league hockey player named Doug Glatt and what separates him from a lot of sports movies is that Glatt isn't really there because he's especially skilled. He's just really good at putting a hurt on opposing players.
But here a broken arm and approaching fatherhood forces him to have to reassess everything and whether or not he can keep playing or not.
There's nothing terribly special here but I do really like the character that Scott has created, who feels like an Adam Sandler creation back when you can still say Sandler gave a damn.
Doug is the nicest, most simple-minded roughneck in the game and Scott proves that he has maybe been either underrated or typecast with the whole Stifler thing. There is more he can give us and this role has proved it.
I also liked his relationship with an old rival now turned mentor played by Liev Schreiber.
Doug's teammates are all a mix of Canadian and Russian cartoons but they're still enjoyable "dick joke" loving sidekicks, but it's TJ Miller and Jason Jones who get the material that's going to make people howl with the most laughter.
Of course this wouldn't be a "Goon" movie without one man beating another man to a bloody pulp and you'll get that here, especially in a grand gladiatorial final showdown between Scott and the lead antagonist played by Wyatt Russell.
This isn't as good as the first. The story is all over the place, with characters retiring and coming back, health concerns being discussed and then discarded. Seems like Jay Baruchel wanted to address some real issues here but he never frames them right.
It's also just not as funny. If you've seen the first movie you know what to expect and that's basically what you get here.
What saves it from being a total waste of time though is that Doug and company are, despite the heavier themes which way the movie down, still fun to watch.
So I go 6 out of 10 guys. If you liked this, check out Craig James Review on Youtube for more.
