‘Footloose’and fancy free

The script is creaky, the characters are stereotypic, the acting is often flat (or worse), the plot lacks depth and yet… “Footloose” is fun and engaging and a hoot. A classic example of how much an audience can forgive if there’s a great opening and terrific ending. I can still hold my head up and say that I enjoyed the film and so will you if you check your standards at the door.

When a group of Bomont High School’s finest are killed in a car accident following a night of beer drinking and wild dancing, the town fathers decide that their youngsters need to be protected from themselves. And so the city council, led by Bomont High’s Principal Dunbar (Brett Rice) and Reverend Shaw Moore (Dennis Quaid, so wooden that he’s an inadvertent source of humor), who lost his son in the accident, install a curfew and ban dancing and unsupervised gatherings by children under the age of 18.

Now, three years later,Moore’s daughter Ariel (Julianne Hough), a senior, whose frustration with rules manifests itself in over-the-top slutty behavior, chasing the town bad boy and generally lying, cheating, whoring and drinking. Her parents appear clueless to the change in her behavior (and apparently her dress as well).

Into this mix arrives Ren McCormack (Kenny Wormald), fresh from Boston. His mother has just died and he has come to live with his Uncle Wes (the excellent Ray McKinnon). Ren, your typical fish-out-of-water immediately makes waves and is targeted by the police (I suppose in this case, since it’s Georgia, that would be p?lice) for playing his music too loud. The principal is suspicious as well and conspires, unsuccessfully, to get him removed from the school.

This being a fairy tale, the Yankee is accepted with open arms by the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic student body all of whom inter-date, go out together and never quarrel. Ren, a serious student, catches the eye of the wayward Ariel but wants nothing to do with her until she comes to her senses. Nevertheless, he is drawn into the Bomont equivalent of a duel by Ariel’s jealous redneck boyfriend Chuck. The weapons of choice? School buses, driven stock car fashion until last man (or in this case, bus) standing. Ren wins; Ariel sees the light and becomes a virgin once again.

Most importantly, though, Ren wants to change that dance law and enlists his high school friends (the entire student body) to help him do that. The teens are all forces of good, led by the adorable Ren and his wingmen Willard (a scene stealing Miles Teller) and football captain Woody (Ser’Darius Blain). It is up to them to rescue the soul of the town from the forces of evil – the adults and the town bullies. And how he goes about doing it is in that old fashioned Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland “let’s put on a show” manner.

There are many elements at play that make this enjoyable. Certainly, the young, relatively unknown actors are a major contribution. But the film takes off whenever these kids get together and perform their acrobatic dance numbers. The choreography is outstanding and is, for a change, well filmed. There are several memorable scenes, especially the previously mentioned opening and closing, where the camera is focused entirely on the booted feet performing those intricate dance steps to loud, rhythmic, often familiar music. I defy you not to tap along to those numbers. It’s fun, it’s musical and don’t worry about comparing this version to the original. Kevin Bacon can’t dance like Kenny Wormald (and it’s unlikely that Kenny will ever be able to act like Kevin Bacon) and Dennis Quaid is no John Lithgow. Who cares? Go and escape reality and have some fun. ER

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