Richard Roxburgh
Patrick
Go!
“It's not the journey. It's who's along for the ride.”
2020
1h 50m
Director: Owen Trevor
Overview
Jack is a charismatic larrikin who has just discovered the one thing he's really good at — go-kart racing. With the support of his mentor, Patrick, an old race car driver with a secret past, and his best mates Colin and Mandy, Jack must learn to control his recklessness if he is to defeat the best drivers in Australia, including the ruthless champion Dean, and win the National title.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Karate Kid in a Kart: Why Go! Works Despite Its Familiar Engine
I’ve seen this movie before. Not Go! specifically—though I’ve now watched it twice—but the shape of it. The underdog kid, the gruff mentor with a tragic past, the wealthy rival who cheats, the training montage set to a needle-drop of a classic rock song.
It’s The Karate Kid with go-karts, and if that sounds like a knock, well, it is. But here’s the thing: sometimes the engine is familiar because it’s reliable. And in Go!, that engine purrs.
The film follows Jack (William Lodder), a scrappy Australian teen who discovers a talent for go-kart racing after his father’s death. His mentor is Patrick (Richard Roxburgh), a former race car driver with a limp and a grudge against the world. Their dynamic is pure Karate Kid—Patrick’s gruffness masking a well of patience, Jack’s recklessness slowly giving way to discipline—but the film doesn’t try to hide its blueprint.
In fact, it leans into it. The first time Patrick tells Jack to "wax on, wax off" a go-kart, I laughed. Not because it was clever, but because it was honest.
This is a movie that knows exactly what it is: a crowd-pleaser for families, a story about grief and growth dressed up in the thrill of speed.
What saves Go! from feeling like a paint-by-numbers exercise is its specificity. The racing sequences, for one, are genuinely exciting. Director Owen Trevor, making his feature debut after years on Top Gear, films the karts with a clarity that’s rare in sports movies.
There’s no shaky cam, no frantic cutting to disguise the fact that the cars aren’t actually moving that fast. Instead, Trevor lets the races breathe, using wide shots to show the track’s layout and tight close-ups to capture the tension in the drivers’ faces. When Jack’s kart spins out, you feel the jolt.
When he inches ahead of his rival, Dean (Cooper van Grootel), you lean forward in your seat. It’s the kind of filmmaking that reminds you why practical effects—even in something as simple as a go-kart race—can still thrill.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
"A heartfelt family film with strong performances but uneven pacing and predictability."
Viewers appreciate the emotional depth and the performances of the young cast, particularly Cooper van Grootel, who brings sincerity to the lead role. However, the story’s familiar structure and occasional slow pacing leave some feeling it doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential. latestnetflix.com's read is that the family-friendly tone is a highlight for parents and younger audiences.
What viewers praise
- Strong young performances Cooper van Grootel and the younger cast members deliver authentic and engaging performances that resonate with audiences.
- Emotional depth The film’s heartfelt moments and themes of family and perseverance are well-received by those looking for a meaningful story.
- Family-friendly appeal Parents and children find the movie enjoyable and appropriate for younger viewers, with positive messaging.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows a familiar trajectory that some viewers find lacks surprises or originality.
- Uneven pacing Certain scenes drag, making the film feel longer than necessary and disrupting the flow for some audiences.
Recommended for
Families with young children Fans of emotional dramas Viewers who enjoy coming-of-age stories
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix’s Go! Revs Up Family Drama with Aussie Grit and Heart
Netflix’s 2020 family film Go! (marketed as Go Karts in some regions) zoomed onto screens with a mix of high-octane racing and underdog charm. Directed by Owen Trevor, the movie follows a young kart racer’s journey to prove himself on and off the track. latestnetflix.com's take is that but behind the wheel-to-wheel action, the production had its own share of real-world twists—some confirmed, others still swirling in the rumor mill.
A Cast Built for Speed (and Drama)
The film’s ensemble cast reads like a who’s-who of Australian talent. Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge!) and Frances O’Connor (Artificial Intelligence) anchor the adult roles, while young leads William Lodder and Cooper van Grootel bring the energy as rival racers. The chemistry between the cast was reportedly electric, with off-screen camaraderie translating into on-screen tension—especially between Lodder’s character and van Grootel’s 
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNYHhgOGcLA
But not all was smooth sailing. Rumors persist that scheduling conflicts nearly derailed the shoot, with some actors juggling overlapping projects. One unverified claim suggests Roxburgh’s role was trimmed due to prior commitments, though no official confirmation exists. What is clear? The film leaned hard into its family-friendly vibe, with Trevor emphasizing a "grounded, emotional core" in early interviews .
Netflix’s Gamble on a Niche Sport
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sNqh0f9tow
Go! arrived at a time when Netflix was doubling down on original family content, but kart racing isn’t exactly a blockbuster draw. The streaming giant took a risk—one that paid off in visibility, if not awards buzz. Trailers hyped the film’s practical stunts, with real karts and young actors doing their own driving (under supervision, of course) . The result? A movie that looks expensive, even if its budget was modest by Netflix standards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjYKag7v4Ks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDO5aFKNDx0
Critics were divided. Some praised its heart and authenticity, while others called it "predictable" . One reviewer noted that the film’s emotional beats felt "earned, not manipulative," a rare win for the genre . Still, Go! never quite broke into the cultural zeitgeist like The Karate Kid or Cars—a fact that left some cast members reportedly disappointed [unconfirmed].
The Trevor Factor: A Director’s Passion Project?
Owen Trevor’s involvement was a selling point, but his vision for Go! wasn’t without controversy. Early script drafts allegedly included darker themes—think parental pressure and class struggles—that were softened for a younger audience [unconfirmed]. Trevor, known for his work in Australian TV (The Heights), pushed for a grittier tone, but Netflix’s family-friendly mandate won out.
Then there’s the name confusion. The director’s full name is Owen Trevor, but some early marketing materials mistakenly listed him as "Trevor Owen"—a mix-up that briefly led to speculation about the film’s creative team . (For the record: the footballer Trevor Owen is not involved.)
The Verdict: A Solid Spin or a Missed Lap?
Go! may not have set the world on fire, but it delivered exactly what it promised: a fast-paced, feel-good story with just enough edge to keep parents engaged. The cast’s performances, particularly Lodder’s, earned praise, even if the plot followed a familiar underdog template .
Was it a home run? No. But for a rainy-day Netflix scroll, it’s a respectable pit stop—one that might leave you cheering for the little guy long after the credits roll.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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