Footloose dances in time but acts out poorly

By Becky Monreal |Staff Writer|

The new remake of Footloose will have viewers dancing out of the theater.

Non-dancing viewers may think this movie is another run of the mill dance flick, while those with an appreciation for dance will really find something to enjoy in this film.

While not as good as the 1984 original, Footloose still has some great dancing scenes within it.

The movie takes place in the rural Georgia city of Bomont, which has banned music and dancing within the city limits. The youth of the city are forced to dance in hiding at local restaurants and mill factories.

That all changes after Ren McCormack, played by Kenny Wormald, moves to the city to live with his uncle and aunt. This is the first major movie for Wormald, who used to be a back-up dancer to Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez.

McCormack attends the local high school of Bomont and meets the scandalous preacher’s daughter Ariel Moore, played by dancer Julianne Hough of “Dancing With the Stars” fame.

It was Ariel’s dad who banned dancing and music in the city after a catastrophic event at a dancing club.

Ren and Ariel bond over their love for dancing and (of course) become attracted to each other.

Ren decides that it is time for the ban on dancing to be abolished and he decides to stand up to the city council to have it revoked. With the help of a petition and some good ol’ down-home Bible verses, Ren and his friends change the face of Bomont forever.

Just like the original, the movie ends with the famous dance scene of the students at the prom with a new remake of Kenny Loggins’ famous title song.

Though the story line might not be impressive, the dancing skills greatly make up what the story line is lacking. All of the actors dancing talent can be seen from the opening scene to the closing credits.

While the movie is full of great dancing, it does have some awkward moments. For example, there is a scene when Ren pulls up to the high school in his beat up Volkswagen bug playing “Black and Yellow” by Wiz Khalifa.

Another uncomfortable scene is when Ren and his friends are challenged to a game of chicken in giant school buses inexplicably decorated with children’s stuffed animals.

However, the movie does contain some comedic scenes. Ren’s best friend Willard Hewitt does contribute comedic relief to the film.

From his camouflage shirts to his jean overalls, Willard walks, talks and acts like a true boy from the south. He even learns to dance with help from Ren and his young nieces.

The acting by Wormald and Hough was surprisingly good for their first major motion picture.

The movie is mainly full of country music but does have some hip-hop songs inter-twined into some scenes.

Those who have an appreciation for great dancing will really enjoy this movie. Those who are looking for a great story line and exceptional acting talent might want to look elsewhere.