A Goofy Movie came to theaters on April 7, 1995, and we’re celebrating the beloved animated film’s 30th anniversary by highlighting our favorite moments characters, scenes, and more.
The pretty and popular girl is far more than a pop culture archetype. She is a real-life staple from our formative years. While a very small percentage of the population once claimed this title, the majority of us were not her. She sat at the top of the school’s social food chain, gazing down at her peers over the rim of her (probably designer) shades. Her closet boasted the most stylish clothes and shoes and her school resume was a laundry list of scholarly accomplishments and/or activities that added to her allure. She was probably the captain of the cheerleading squad, and seemingly had the world in the palm of her manicured hands.
She was thee “It” girl, the one whom many girls longed to be and perhaps loved to hate. Ms. Pretty and Popular didn’t have to worry about incessant bullying nor whether she’d have a date to the next dance. She didn’t long to be seen because her every move was hyper visible and seemingly perfect. And she never, ever felt like the normies who were just trying to make it through school with as few battle scars as possible.
Pop cultures depiction of Ms. Pretty and Popular certainly didn’t do Prom Queens any favors. If she wasn’t outright cutthroat towards the uncool kids around her, she was superficially nice but an egotistical nightmare underneath her carefully crafted facade. But, every now and then, there was a popular girl character who broke the mold as someone who was genuinely admirable and inspirational. In 1995, we met a sweet and bright character named Roxanne, and she came from perhaps the most unlikely place to find a beloved It girl: A Goofy Movie.
The animated film about Disney icon Goofy and his son Max going on a wacky and way too dangerous road trip to repair their broken bond became a cult classic among Millennial kids. The songs were jams, thanks to Tevin Campbell playing teen pop idol Powerline. Max’s life as a teen who didn’t want to grow up and be uncool like his dad was, well, relatable. And, like many of us, Max harbored a crush on Roxanne. She was Spoonerville High School’s version of Ms. Pretty and Popular who would never consider being with a nerd. Except, that isn’t the case with Roxanne at all.
Yes, Roxanne is conventionally attractive and beloved with a effervescent personality. But she’s also genuinely kind, down-to-Earth, and a little bit awkward. She geeks out over her fave singer Powerline and doesn’t roll with a crew of mean yet fashionable girlies. Roxanne is relatively comfortable in her own skin in a way that’s aspirational and free, especially for a teenager. She’s the kind of girl that kids from any generation should really wanna be. A real one.
Roxanne wasn’t wrapped in a blanket of privilege to boost her social standing. She lives with her imposing yet loving father in a house that’s not too different from Max’s abode. My girl rocks a simple yet stylish look: a teal T-shirt, jean shorts, white flats, and a simple pair of earrings. Nothing too crazy, but still a fashionable vibe. Roxanne’s popularity isn’t the result of manipulation nor is it a personal agenda to climb the social ranks. Instead, most of her classmates seem to simply like her personality. That includes her nerdy bestie Stacie, whom Roxanne doesn’t hang out with to make herself feel more superior. Stacie isn’t Roxanne’s supporting cast to boost her ego. She’s genuinely her best friend who wants the best for her.
And she always liked Max for who he was! He didn’t have to go through the “nerd to cool kid” transformation that we saw in later films like She’s All That and Love Don’t Cost a Thing. Her dream guy isn’t the Jock or the Hot Guy or Mr. Popularity, all of whom she could certainly have by her side. It is Max, a regular dude who loves listening to Powerline and skating through the neighborhood.
Instead of assuming that Max must like her because she’s THAT GIRL, she keeps her feelings to herself in fear of possible rejection. That’s some very normie behavior, Roxanne. However, Roxanne is no pushover, even with the guy she crushes on. She holds Max accountable for lying to her and firmly asks for not only an explanation, but for him to commit to being truthful in the future. We love a girl with standards and boundaries.
I’ve always been a Nerdy Girl (shocking, I know). But I also lived in worlds adjacent to Ms. Pretty and Popular people. According to unofficial school rules as captain of the cheer squad and leader in one too many clubs, I was supposed to be her. Except, I never was and I really didn’t want to be. I wasn’t the most beloved and certainly not the prettiest among my peers nor teammates. I didn’t have the right mix of qualities to be THAT girl.
Young Tai was a little too into sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and going to the arcade, a lot too poor to be super trendy, and certainly not willing to put in the extra effort to force relationships for higher social stature. My core friend group was an eclectic mix of kids (shoutout to The Lunch Table Crew). We were “floaters” who could chill on any social level and check peers who were mean to others. And I loved all of us for being who we are, just like I loved Roxanne for bucking the popular girl stereotype.
Perhaps Roxanne is the actual expression of what many uber popular high school girls actually feel. Maybe they put on a shield of confidence to hide those nagging teenage insecurities that plague so many. Perhaps they wish they could be a little less “the standard,” and march to the beat of a more unique drum. That way, when they leave it all behind to start at ground zero in college or the real world, they have a more solid foundation of great qualities to stand on. In the wild world of high school, and beyond, we could use a little Roxanne in our lives.
A Goofy Movie is streaming on Disney+.
Content shared from nerdist.com.