Footloose, a remake of the 1984 classic, accomplishes its overall goal of being a fun-loving movie that makes its audience want to dance out of the theater. The basic storyline, in both the classic and the remake, centers around a city boy who comes to live in a small country town that has banned public dancing because of a traumatic fatal car accident a few years back, when five high school seniors were driving back from a dance. The town reverend - father of one of the boys in the car - leads the charge for this ban, and his daughter begins to rebel. Enter Ren MacCormack, new kid in town, who loves to dance, challenges the town and falls in love with the preacher's daughter. Thanks to good choreography, solid acting and a carefree sense of nostalgia, the movie was a great overall experience.
As with any movie musical, Footlose is corny at times, but for the most part the actors and screenwriters are original. Kenny Wormald plays Ren MacCormack, the role that made Kevin Bacon's career in the original. Wormald does not portray the role with the same grace and style that Bacon managed, but he does a pretty good job overall, considering the shoes he was trying to fill. Most important, he succeeds at the famous solo dance in the warehouse, arguably the standout scene of the movie. Wormald, who brings a thick Boston accent and a subtle humor to his portrayal of Ren, has great chemistry with Julianne Hough, who plays Ariel Moore. Moore is probably the weakest actor of the ensemble, but her performance is saved by her great chemistry with Kenny.
The best character of the movie is, without doubt, Ren's friend Willard (Miles Teller). Willard makes you laugh from beginning to end with an incredibly natural style. Miles acts wonderfully and truly made me love the movie. Dennis Quaid plays Rev. Shaw Moore, the intense preacher who proposed the ban on dancing in the town. Quaid delivers the most developed role by far, played by the best and most experienced actor. Quaid captured the depth of the character and connected with the audience as he connected with his on-screen daughter. Both Willard and the reverend are well-played roles which glue the structure of the movie together.
Footloose had a difficult task trying to live up to the classic. Although I cannot honestly say it is as good as the original - viewers should definitely still see the 1984 version - it is a fun movie that honors the classic by keeping all of its important characteristics; the remake keeps the yellow beetle, famous warehouse dance, the trip to a city club - Atlanta here instead of Chicago - and, of course, the song "Footloose." With a little twist of the plot and a bit of southern flair, the remake stays interesting while sticking true to the original story.
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