Goon

Inspired by Doug Smith's titular memoir, Goon stars Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt, a Massachusetts bouncer who reveres minor-league thug Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber). Doug's foul-mouthed best friend, Pat (Jay Baruchel), hosts an online hockey show, but Doug himself has no connection to the game…until he punches out an insulting player at an Orangetown match. The dust-up brings Doug to the attention of a local coach (Nicholas Campbell). Doug can't skate worth a damn, but he can enforce like nobody's business, which leads him to the Halifax Highlanders, where he meets hockey groupie Eva (Alison Pill). His Quebecois roommate (Marc-André Grondin) resents Doug's success, while his father (Eugene Levy) disapproves of his son's rough and tumble career path. In Newfoundland, Doug finally meets Ross, who believes that "goons" aren't real hockey players, leading to a bloody showdown between the two. Throughout, Scott has the unenviable task of making a natural-born bruiser seem sympathetic, but he's mostly successful, even if Doug's underlying rage is left unexplored. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Michael Dowse and co-writer/costar Jay Baruchel, a "Power Play" interactive behind-the-scenes viewing mode, an interview with costars Seann William Scott and Baruchel (30 min.), deleted scenes (9 min.), outtakes (6 min.), a "Goalie Audition" clip (6 min.), an HDNet production featurette (5 min.), a segment on "Fighting 101" (4 min.), a "Hockey Cards" gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an uneven film.] (K. Fennessy)