Goat (2016)

Film Overview
"Goat" is a 2016 American drama movie directed by Andrew Neel and co-written by David Gordon Green, Mike Roberts, and Neel. The movie is based on Brad Land's memoir of the very same name, with Ben Schnetzer starring as Brad and Nick Jonas as his bro Brett. The movie depicts the disturbing and ruthless realities of hazing in a fraternity and goes over concerns such as masculinity, brotherhood, and the implications of brutal routines.

Plot Synopsis
The story begins with nineteen-year-old Brad Land (Schnetzer) enrolling at an imaginary university after a summertime disaster. Brad desires join his older sibling Brett's (Jonas) fraternity, Phi Sigma Mu, in hopes of fitting into college life and cementing the bond with his sibling. Keen to wash away the humiliation from a violent carjacking occurrence previously, Brad allows himself to be carried along in the extreme, ritualized world of hazing.

Promising and Hazing
As part of the promise season's initiation routines, the recruits should undergo serious physical and psychological abuse known as 'Hell Week.' Brad and the other pledges, described as 'goats,' start dealing with wild parties and unrelenting hazing that devolve into vicious tests of endurance. The fraternity's senior members intent on breaking and remaking the characters of their promises. Brad discovers himself pushed to the limits, with the hazing growing increasingly violent, dehumanizing, and leading to a conflict within him.

Brotherhood and Conflicts
Brett begins questioning the customs and rituals of the fraternity as he witnesses his brother's wear and tear and the distress brought on by the hazing. While he struggles with the brotherhood's loyalty and his issues for Brad's safety, Brett ignores the occurrence up until it reaches a violent climax. Meanwhile, Brad faces his need for acceptance and his increasing acknowledgment of the toxicity of this fraternal brotherhood.

Ending and Themes
In the end, Brad decides to break free from the fraternity's sadistic culture and the pressures of masculine conformity. On the other hand, Brett is left questioning the cost of his loyalty to a brotherhood that requires the embarrassment and suffering of its pledges. Through an exploration of the fraternity's vicious world, Goat exposes the issues of toxic masculinity, power dynamics, peer pressure, and the destructive effect of hazing. The film also checks out the relationships within a household, specifically sibling bonds, set versus the backdrop of a college fraternity.

Critical Reception
"Goat" premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and got mainly positive evaluations from critics. They commended the film's raw performances and its hard-hitting and truthful representation of fraternity hazing. However, some likewise specified that the film's harsh truth might be overwhelming and traumatic for audiences. Despite the mix of reviews, the film remains a crucial contribution to a conversation about hazing routines and their effects on young adults' lives.

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