Goat

Brad lands at college to reclaim his life after a brutal assault from the prior summer. He carries trauma but is determined to move forward, seeking normalcy in college life. The opening frames his mindset as he starts classes and tries to fit in.

Brad's older brother Brett is already established on campus as a member of a popular fraternity. The promise of protection, belonging, and lifelong friendships draws Brad in. Brett's reservations foreshadow tension between family loyalty and the allure of the Greek system.

Brad sets out to join the fraternity, hoping to find a place to belong. His eagerness contrasts with Brett's warnings about the hazing culture. The stage is set for a test of loyalty, belonging, and personal safety.

The pledging ritual moves into hell week, where unproven boys endure strenuous and humiliating tasks. The pledge master presses for obedience as the environment grows more coercive. Fear and peer pressure take center stage and threaten to overwhelm the pledges.

Pledges are taken to an off-campus wooded site and told to drink large quantities of beer or face a brutal test: sodomize and then kill a goat. They endure the ritual and pass, believing the hardest part is over. The scene underscores the brutality of the hazing culture and the moral ambiguity of conformity.

Brad participates in the crossing ceremony, but his brother's absence and silence during the rite fuels a heated confrontation. The exchange leaves Brad reeling and Brett declaring that Brad does not belong in the fraternity. The moment exposes the rift between family loyalty and club loyalty.

Shortly after, pledge Will dies of a heart attack during exercise on the track. His bruised body hints at the toll of brutal hazing. The tragedy triggers whispers and fear among the pledges, and questions about accountability begin to surface.

Authorities launch an investigation into Phi Sigma Mu, and the fraternity is suspended from campus as the hazing practices come to light. The pledge master grows suspicious of Brad, hinting at a power struggle within the brotherhood. The university's inquiry shifts the campus climate.

Brad returns from class to find his dorm goat defecating on the carpet and the words 'Rat Fuck' shaved into its coat. The taunting reinforces the sense of surveillance and hostility from the fraternity. It marks a public, humiliating escalation tied to Brad's alleged leaks.

Brad is accused of talking to authorities about the hazing; in a twist, Brett steps in and reveals that he is the source of the leaks. The brothers' bond fractures as lies and loyalties collide. Brad must reckon with betrayal within his own family.

Brad and Brett visit the police station to identify the men who attacked Brad six months earlier. One suspect is shot in a gas station robbery, while the other remains unidentified. Brad lies, protecting someone or avoiding further trouble, which complicates the pursuit of justice.

Brad and Brett walk to the field where Brad was beaten, reflecting on the events and the cost of belonging. The scene closes the loop on the incident and its enduring impact on Brad's life. The contrast between brotherly tension and shared history is palpable.