Entertaining, but not necessarily exciting

Rating: Null/10 (30 October 2011)

"Footloose" is a pleasant-enough movie as it is, but I think it could have used tougher material and characters with more depth. We don't get nearly enough scenes involving the priest. Even if he is an obvious character, he still could, would and should have given the movie some juice. Ren, the character previously played by Kevin Bacon, isn't as troubled as you'd expect him to be, or as he should have been. With the title "Footloose", I expected something more. And I also wanted more dancing, too. The only dancing that's offered here comes during the opening titles, the last scene of the movie, and somewhere after dancing has been outlawed. If this is supposed to be a "musical", then the movie really falls short. I was moderately entertained, but not necessarily surprised. On another note, doesn't Ren's girlfriend remind you of Ellen Pompeo? And a little of Jennifer Aniston? **1/2 out of ****