Goat

Never having been in a frat I only have Brad Land's memoir to compare to this film as to how accurate some aspects of fraternities and pledging are. The book I have to say is alot more visceral and I wasn't particularly shocked by the depictions of hazing in this film even though critics appeared to have been fairly appalled by it. Moving swiftly into a beating for the main character Brad after a party (which to be fair is brutal), the film moves along at a swift pace and barely lets up for the rest apart from a few quiet moments between Brad (Ben Schnetzer, who is always impressive) and his brother Brett (Nick Jonas, also good here). The two main hazing scenes are fairly fierce in their depictions of pledges (Goats) being pushed to their limits with drinking games and general bullying to grind them down......begging the question why do they put up with it? it's obvious from Brad's point of view that he wants to try and gain back his masculine identity after his beating and the promise of protection from his fraternal 'brothers' if he makes it into Phi Sigma Mu to which he is pledging. Seeing interviews it's apparent there was alot of improvisation in the hazing scenes in particular-which makes them more fluid and believable. One particular scene in a cabin involving the demand for the pledges to down a whole keg of warm beer in three hours or face grim consequences is pretty powerful.....not quite sure whether there was method acting going on but if it wasn't real vomiting, Schnetzer certainly retches impressively! Apart from Schnetzer's sensitive portrayal of Brad, who really has no place in this environment, (along with his sweet roommate Will- heartbreaking performance by Danny Flaherty), the extremely sly Chance (played by Gus Halper) is ambiguous in his intentions towards the Land brothers (whom he has known for a number of years), standing out as the more complex supporting character. Nick Jonas earns his serious actor stripes with an at times understated performance as a conflicted brother in both senses of the word as he begins to question the hazing inflicted upon his little brother and his fellow pledges. All in all, a good film which I think could have been longer as so much was left out from the book but I guess that's down to being a small budget independent film. Definitely recommended- I just hope it gains a wider audience than it appears to have on release.