Cheesy, but absolutely fun!!

Rating: 8/10 (5 April 2020)

Off the bat, I'll admit that 1984's Footloose is pure, thrashy 1980's silliness. And.....I'm completely down for it. The movie holds dear to my soul because it is a big part of my childhood. My sixth-grade class spent a good portion of the year learning the songs, and our class trip was to see a play based on the hit movie in the lovely town of New Hope, Pennsylvania. The music is legitimately fantastic. Pure 80's music, but absolutely delightful songs. Who can resist the urge not to start dancing when the title song performed by Kenny Loggins comes on the radio, or Deneice Williams, "Let's Hear It for the Boy." These songs actually went on to be nominated for Academy Awards.
No matter how preposterous the plot sounds, it's actually based on a real story. In 1898, the Oklahoma town of Elmore City outlawed dancing. A pastor from a nearby town was quoted saying dancing led to alcohol which would eventually lead to death. The city made national headlines in 1980 when a junior prom was awarded to the town and the city's council overturned the law....just barely. Screenwriter Dean Pritchard became very interested in the story, and did his due diligence with his research. He also wrote the lyrics to many of the original songs. Paramount boarded the film and then Herbert Ross (Weekend at Bernie's) was hired to direct the film.
Taking forth the classic theme of rebellion, the film introduces us to Ren McCormick (Kevin Bacon), a city boy who moved from Chicago to the oilfields in the middle of nowhere. He also loves to dance and listen to his rock'n'roll music. But he suffers a serious case of culture shock when he finds out they are banned in his new town. His misery is tested when he meets Ariel (Lori Singer), a very popular but troubled blonde. She is also the daughter of Reverend Shaw (John Lithgow) who came up with the law after his son died in a car crash because of the booze. The two have a troubled relationship, which is why Shaw's wife, Vi (Dianne Wiest) is the mediator. Now then Ren is in town, he is ready to rile up the town and bring back dancing!
The performances are solid. Kevin Bacon is your quintessential 80's character. The hairdo, the dancing, the confident teenager and he brings forth plenty of charm as Ren. It looks like he is one amazing dancer, but fun fact! He only did some of the dances as four stunt doubles were used with Bacon. John Lithgow does well as the Bible-thumping minister who is the foil to Bacon's dancing habits. Dianne Wiest, as you may notice with all her roles, is a very soothing presence. As a normal routine for 1980's flicks, keep an eye out for future stars. Such as Sarah Jessica Parker as Ariel's friend and Chris Penn as Ren's friend.
This movie may not be the best musical, but it's one of the more memorable ones. I mean who can resist the toe-tapping dance sequences or any of the music really. The movie throws an exorbitant amount of cheese at you and you have to be willing to suck in the cheese. If not, I have a feeling you may not enjoy the movie. Or you may be one of those who abhors dancing.
Footloose was a major box office hit and one of the highest-grossing films of 1984. It became a cult classic considering how many people are devoted to it now. It's hard to believe this is based on a true story, but it most certainly is. The music is wonderful and never grows old. The performances are sweet. The script is cheesy, but what else can we expect from a 1980's teen musical. I certainly had a fun time!
My Grade: B