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Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Oh, Footloose. How have you had an impact on my life? I don’t know if it is a good thing or a bad thing. One of my first jobs was working at an amusement park. One of the positions I had was a rides operator. The section I was in played Kenny Loggins’s “Footloose” every 30 minutes. Yes, you read that right. Every thirty minutes, that song came on. You can imagine how numb I became to that song, even though I think I saw the movie once. Years later, as I sit on my bed watching the first episode of the Umbrella Academy’s third season, the characters dance off to what? Kenny Loggins’s “Footloose.” Oh, how my brain had flashbacks. The scene was hilarious, but the thought of hearing the song every 30 minutes repeatedly sent my body into flight mode. Luckily, PlutoTV was showing it, and I was like, what the hell might as well watch it again. Get to see Kevin Bacon dance around for a while and see for myself if this is a good movie or not.
Directed by Herbert Ross, Footloose is a film about a kid who moves to a town that has outlawed dancing and his attempt to get a prom. How do we start this plot off? The film starts off when teenager Ren McCormack (Bacon) and his family move from the big city of Chi-Town to the small rural Podunk town of Bomont. The cultural change is one thing, but Ren really gets it when he gets a ticket for playing music. He finds out that Rock ‘n’ Roll and dancing have been banned and are against the law. Say What?!?! Even though Ren tries to fit in, her can’t quite wrap his head around living in a place that outlaws music and dancing. As Ren tries to make friends, there is one that catches his attention and causes him trouble, the beautiful Ariel Moore. Ariel is blonde, has a jealous boyfriend, and is quite rebellious. Her father is a Bible-thumping minister responsible for keeping the town dance-free. Ren and his classmates want to do away with the ordinance since their senior prom is around the corner, and they want to shake their asses and move their feet. Ren decides to challenge and convince the city council to lift the ban on dancing and have the townspeople remember the good times of dancing and music.
Footloose is a standard teenage rebellion and repression story, all wrapped up with some crazy choreographed dancing. The story is not one that will leave you in all. It is a typical teen story with a new kid from the big city who moves to a small town. The difference is that the town banned dancing and playing music. In most of these teen films, the new kid is rebellious and becomes friends with other kids. Ren shows his friends how to have fun and dance. The main mission of Ren is to have a prom and convince the town’s preacher that it is all okay to have fun, and tragedy sometimes hits. He speaks at the city council and is the only one who dares to speak up. Typical teen movie.
With any teen film, you know there needs to be some “epic” teen romance, and does this one have it. In one corner is Ariel, the rebellious blonde who sleeps with her boyfriend and the daughter of the preacher who banned dancing and music. Ariel is the typical teenage girl who wants more in life and becomes smitten with Ren. The two have a strange romance. When Airel’s boyfriend gets jealous, she is definitely the instigator of the whole thing. They have this tractor race where they play chicken. Like all teen movies, the girl ends up with the new guy after breaking up with her boyfriend. A classic tale that really doesn’t do much for the story.
Where this film excels is the dancing. With a movie called Footloose, those feet better be on fire on the dance floor. We get an epic montage of Ren dancing through an abandoned factory. He is angry about life and combines his gymnastics skills with some epic dance moves. Another dancing montage is when Ren takes all his friends to a country bar. They are letting loose and having fun until Willard gets jealous and pissed. We come to find out that Willard can’t dance. Ren shows Willard how to move those feet and shake that ass. The ending is where it’s at with the dancing. At prom, no one is dancing until Ren shows up, and everyone shows off their best dance moves. Even Willard shows how it is done.
Where the movie also excels is with that soundtrack. Obviously, we have to talk about “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins. The song set the standard for the film. It is one of those iconic songs that make you want to dance and move your feet. Give it up to Kenny for “Footloose” and “Danger Zone.” Then we have “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler. Classic jam for anyone looking for a hero. It went hard during the tractor scene. Other songs in this soundtrack are good, but those are the two that will definitely stand out.
The cast did okay in this film. They did their best. Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormack was really good. As the film’s star, he was the focal point, and one everyone gravitated to. Bacon has been in many movies, and this one set the stage for a long career. Lori Singer as Ariel Moore was okay. I was annoyed with her; maybe that is why she did such a good job. She was the pretty girl who wanted to spread her wings and rebelled while doing it. John Lithgow has been in many films, and no matter how many years go by, he still looks the same. In this one, he was the preacher with a good heart but strayed a little. Also, the film has Chris Penn and a young Sarah Jessica Parker.
Footloose is mainly known for the final scene with the dancing and the main theme song. The song will live on forever as it makes a comeback every once in a while. The story is meh as the years go by. It is another standard teen film. The acting is okay but does have its moments. When you get a chance, turn on Footloose and bring your dancing shoes going.
BONUS CLIP!!!!
