"Ah, you tried, Goof. He's just a bad kid, that's all."
While this movie is, for the most part, a funny movie, that doesn't stop it from having a few saddening moments or two. After all, it's a Disney movie.- After Max walks out on the Suck E. Cheese's, Goofy asks Max what he was doing when he saw him attempting to hitchhike home. Max all but states that he never wants to do anything with his dad ever again. You can just feel poor Goofy's heart breaking.Goofy: Max? Hey! What the heck are tryin' to do?Max: Trying to get away from you!Goofy: Me...? What'd I do?Max: Oh forget it!Goofy: I thought we was having fun! What's the matter?Max: Nothing, let's just go. Well, come on!(Goofy gets in the car with Max)Goofy: Uh... you dropped your hat.Max: [angrily snatches the hat and throws it out the window] GRAAAAAH! THIS IS THE STUPIDEST VACATION!!! YOU DRAG ME FROM HOME, YOU JAM ME IN THIS DUMB CAR, AND DRIVE A MILLION MILES AWAY, JUST TO SEE SOME STUPID RAT SHOW!!! ...Call me when the trip's over.
- On the opposite side, before the blow-up, Max gets pulled unwillingly into a dance by Goofy (who thought his son wanted to dance, unaware that he was trying to get the possum out of his clothes, which Goofy caused). Despite Max's pleads for Goofy to stop—as the whole thing is just embarrassing as the crowds laugh at their expense—Goofy just doesn't listen, completely oblivious to Max's discomfort as well as being too dumb to realize the people are laughing AT him, not with him.Max: No! Dad! STOP! PLEASE!Goofy: (obliviously spins Max around while laughing)Max: DAD, LOOK! THIS IS EMBARRASSING!!!Boy: It's Dork and Dork Junior! [laughs]
- On the opposite side, before the blow-up, Max gets pulled unwillingly into a dance by Goofy (who thought his son wanted to dance, unaware that he was trying to get the possum out of his clothes, which Goofy caused). Despite Max's pleads for Goofy to stop—as the whole thing is just embarrassing as the crowds laugh at their expense—Goofy just doesn't listen, completely oblivious to Max's discomfort as well as being too dumb to realize the people are laughing AT him, not with him.
- Their exchange while on the rapids will undoubtedly touch a nerve with any parent who loves their child.Max: Now look where you got us, Dad!
Goofy: Where I got us?!
Max: You should've let me stay at home!
Goofy: Why? So you'd end up in prison?
Max: Prison? What are you talking about?
Goofy: Your principal called me!
Max: It's not what you think, Dad!
Goofy: You even lied to me!
Max: I had to! You were ruining my life!
Goofy: I was only trying to take my boy fishing, okay?!
Max: I'm (pounds the car with his fist) NOT your little boy anymore, Dad! I've grown up! I've got my own life now!
Goofy: I know that! ...I just wanted to be part of it. (on the verge of tears) You're my son, Max. No matter how big you get... you'll always be my son. (turns away sadly and hugs himself)- Max falls quiet after Goofy tells him that he'll always be his son no matter what. For most of the movie, Goofy has shown him nothing but love and patience, and Max repaid him with a bad attitude. The realization that it was all too much for even Goofy to bear is what finally makes Max understand that his father, despite his flaws, really did want the best for his son. All Max can do is turn away in shame, reflecting on the mess that his choices have left them BOTH in.
- Before this, the way Max pounds his fist on the car when he bitterly tells Goofy he's not his little boy anymore is especially potent. That little involuntary action perfectly conveys exactly how frustrated he is in a way that no line of dialogue ever could.
- On Goofy's end, he's starting to realize how he's just as much at fault; no matter how badly he might not want to admit to himself, Max is growing up and needs his own life, and that simply loving your child no matter what isn't always enough. Goofy never really respected Max's independence and certainly doesn't understand him; he just kept smothering Max with love until it became suffocating.
- Max falls quiet after Goofy tells him that he'll always be his son no matter what. For most of the movie, Goofy has shown him nothing but love and patience, and Max repaid him with a bad attitude. The realization that it was all too much for even Goofy to bear is what finally makes Max understand that his father, despite his flaws, really did want the best for his son. All Max can do is turn away in shame, reflecting on the mess that his choices have left them BOTH in.
- The waterfall. A father and son, who've just reconciled, heading straight for certain doom. And twice, one almost goes over, forcing the other to have to save them. It makes Goofy's Tears of Joy when Max manages to save him with The Perfect Cast all the more touching.
- Goofy's completely destroyed expression when he discovers that Max changed the road map.
- And, for that matter, the entire scene surrounding it too. When the map-change is first revealed by Pete, Goofy actually calls Pete on his accusation, marking the first (and only) time in the movie that Goofy actually stands up to Pete's belligerence. Yet despite Goofy insisting he didn't need to follow Pete's advice and check the map to see if it had been altered (because "I trust my son", showing just how much Max and Goofy's relationship had improved), the next scene shows Goofy getting into his car, clearly wrestling with himself on what he should be doing. He grows angry with himself for not following through on his own words and is about to go back inside, when he pounds his fist on the steering wheel causing the glovebox to pop open...and discovers that Pete was actually telling the truth this time. Then, just because poor Goofy hadn't been kicked enough at that point, he gives Max one last chance to come clean in a Secret Test of Character when he demands to know which turn they need to take to get to Lake Destiny; despite a crisis of conscience, Max sticks to his original plan, destroying Goofy's faith in his son.
- Also, this exchange between Goofy and Pete perfectly characterises both them and their troubled relationships with their children. And it's topped with Bill Farmer giving out the best performance of his life.Goofy: You know, maybe Max isn't all the things you think a son should be, but... he loves me.
Pete: (irritably) Hey, my son respects me.
Goofy: (sighs) Yeah. (walks away)
Pete: (emphatically) Check the map, Goof!
- Also, this exchange between Goofy and Pete perfectly characterises both them and their troubled relationships with their children. And it's topped with Bill Farmer giving out the best performance of his life.
- The Scholastic Junior Novelization portrays Goofy's thoughts on this betrayal:Pete was right. Love didn't mean a thing. You had to be tough. Mean. Kids had to be afraid of you.
- Goofy's bitter response to Max's attempt to explain. When you see a character like Goofy be genuinely upset, you know something's wrong.Max: Dad, listen, about my directions... (Goofy turns his back to Max) Will you listen to me? I've gotta tell you something, Dad!
Goofy: Why bother? I'm probably too stupid to understand anyway, right?
Max: Forget it.
- And, for that matter, the entire scene surrounding it too. When the map-change is first revealed by Pete, Goofy actually calls Pete on his accusation, marking the first (and only) time in the movie that Goofy actually stands up to Pete's belligerence. Yet despite Goofy insisting he didn't need to follow Pete's advice and check the map to see if it had been altered (because "I trust my son", showing just how much Max and Goofy's relationship had improved), the next scene shows Goofy getting into his car, clearly wrestling with himself on what he should be doing. He grows angry with himself for not following through on his own words and is about to go back inside, when he pounds his fist on the steering wheel causing the glovebox to pop open...and discovers that Pete was actually telling the truth this time. Then, just because poor Goofy hadn't been kicked enough at that point, he gives Max one last chance to come clean in a Secret Test of Character when he demands to know which turn they need to take to get to Lake Destiny; despite a crisis of conscience, Max sticks to his original plan, destroying Goofy's faith in his son.
- The scene where Max and Goofy are trapped in the car overnight. When Max expresses amazement over a trick Goofy uses to open a can of soup, Goofy explains that his father taught him that, followed by this awkward exchange:Max: You two did a lot together, huh?
Goofy: (wistfully) Yup... - Goofy reminds Max about how they used to call alphabet soup "Hi Dad" soup, because Max was always spelling words in the soup for Goofy. Max jokes around suggesting longer words and phrases, while Goofy gives the straight examples he remembers, like "Hi Dad," "Bye-bye", and "I love you." The way they both awkwardly quiet down immediately after he says that last one tells you everything you need to know.
- Pete holds his hand up to PJ for a high five, only to psych him and laugh in his face. You can just see the hurt on PJ's face when he realizes that this one moment where his dad could have been nice to him was just another instance of his bullying.
- Roxanne's expression when she doesn’t see Max on TV. Stacey tries to comfort her, but it clearly doesn't help.
- In the "On the Open Road" number, the two pass a prisoner in a paddywagon singing, in a rather forlorn voice, about how he's in no hurry to reach the end of his trip because he'll be sixty-five before he sees the open road again. That's a hilarious bit of Black Comedy... until Goofy turns to Max and imagines him in prison garb and a ball-and-chain, a sobering reminder of exactly what he's trying to avoid by taking him on this trip.
- As fun as "After Today" is, it's also about how Max feels like a nobody at school. All of his lines are about his personal insecurities, like how "They've been laughing since I can remember" or how Roxanne "looked right though [him]." Anyone who's even gone through those same feelings of self-doubt can identify with him and how badly he wants to improve his image.
- Hearing Pat Buttram's voice one last time (as the Possum Park M.C.) in a Disney film, especially since he'd already been dead for a year by the time it was released. Even more awkward, the character he plays is so old and frail that he looks about ready to kick the bucket himself.
- Roxanne's disappointment when Max tells her he can't go with her to the party due to his dad springing the trip on him out of nowhere, she's understanding but still sad about and talks about finding someone else to go with. After hearing that Max starts panicking at the thought of someone else potentially stealing Roxanne out from under him (like that guy hitting on her in the auditorium) just as he's getting to know her and that fear is ultimately what drives Max to come up with the lie about his dad personally knowing Powerline and going to the concert in LA.
- On the heels of the above, the end of the movie where Max now has to face telling Roxanne the truth. It ends well, but the sheer fear and devastation of what could happen once he explains himself to her is clear on his face and his moody demeanor up to the moment her father answers the door. It hits REALLY close to home if the viewer has ever been forced to admit to a lie that could have destructive consequences once the truth is out.
