Footloose Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

City boy brings sick dance moves to Hicksville, makes everyone do the electric slide.

🍿 Footloose: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Ren Arrives in Bomont

Ren McCormack, a teenager from Chicago, moves with his mother to the small, rural town of Bomont. He quickly discovers that Bomont has outlawed dancing and rock music, a fact that shocks and frustrates him. The ban is a result of a tragic accident several years prior involving local teens. Ren struggles to adjust to the restrictive environment.

Rebellion and Romance

Ren befriends Willard Hewitt, a local boy who is initially awkward and unable to dance. He also becomes romantically interested in Ariel Moore, the rebellious daughter of Reverend Shaw Moore, who is instrumental in upholding the town’s ban. Ariel’s rebellious nature stems from the grief over her brother’s death in the aforementioned accident. Ren’s presence further fuels Ariel’s defiance, causing conflict with her father and her jealous ex-boyfriend, Chuck.

Challenging the Ban

Frustrated by the ban, Ren decides to challenge the town council and Reverend Moore to lift the prohibition on dancing, so the high school students can have a senior prom. He faces opposition from the council and encounters resistance from Reverend Moore, who sees dancing and rock music as sinful influences. Ren persists, gathering support from his friends and Ariel, using logic and scripture to argue his case.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Ren McCormack (Kevin Bacon): A rebellious Chicago teenager who challenges a small town’s ban on dancing and rock music.
• Ariel Moore (Lori Singer): The rebellious preacher’s daughter who defies her father and falls for Ren.
• Rev. Shaw Moore (John Lithgow): The strict town reverend who enforces the ban on dancing due to a past tragedy.
• Vi Moore (Dianne Wiest): The Reverend’s wife, who provides a voice of reason and supports the younger generation.
• Willard (Chris Penn): Ren’s country friend who learns to dance and stands up for himself and his friends.
• Rusty (Sarah Jessica Parker): Ariel’s best friend, who supports Ren and Ariel’s cause.
• Chuck (Jim Youngs): Ariel’s jealous ex-boyfriend who opposes Ren and his efforts to change the town.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Ren: “There’s a time for rage, a time for patience. You wanna hit him, fine, but don’t get expelled!” – Ren tries to temper Willard’s anger to keep him from getting into trouble before the prom.
• Ren: “I understand that you’re afraid, but I never thought that you’d be afraid of our children.” – Ren confronts the town council, highlighting their overprotective stance towards the youth.
• Reverend Shaw Moore: “Is there not a single thing we can agree on?” – The Reverend expresses his frustration to Vi, highlighting the growing divide between them.
• Reverend Shaw Moore: “I’ve never been good at the recreation. I don’t know how to begin again.” – Reverend Shaw finally admits to Vi that he has difficulties relating to others. The quote emphasizes how grief has stunted his ability to reconnect.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $8.2M
• Domestic Gross: $80.04M
• Worldwide Gross: $80.05M

💥 Footloose Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, Footloose isn’t high art, but I can’t help but love it! Kevin Bacon is just so charismatic, and the music just makes you want to get up and dance. The whole tractor scene is so ridiculous, but also so epic, and every time “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” comes on, I can’t help but smile. This movie is pure 80’s cheese, but it makes me happy every time I watch it.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of 1980s teen movies”
  • “Those who enjoy dance and musical films”
  • “Viewers interested in stories about overcoming adversity and challenging societal norms”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Mild language”
  • “Some suggestive content”
  • “Brief scenes of violence”
  • “Themes of grief and loss”

Professional Reviews

• Roger Ebert: “A seriously confused movie that tries to do three things, and does all of them badly. It wants to tell a story, introduce flashy teens, and be a music video.
• Dave Denby: “Schlockdance… Footloose is trash, high-powered fodder for the teen market. It’s predictable and lacks depth, relying on clichés and stereotypes.
• Janet Maslin: “The film’s story is as old as time, and it relies on tired stereotypes. But the music is great, the dancing is energetic, and the performances are surprisingly good. It’s mindless fun, but it’s still fun.

Audience Reactions

The music is infectious and makes you want to dance along.: Many viewers praise the high-energy soundtrack and its nostalgic appeal.

Kevin Bacon’s performance as Ren is charismatic and memorable.: Audiences consistently highlight Kevin Bacon’s performance as a standout.

Overall Consensus: Footloose is a nostalgic and fun 80’s film with a great soundtrack and dance sequences, but some find the plot and characters to be somewhat simplistic.

Awards

1. Academy Award (Best Music, Original Song)- 1985

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Many of the cast members, including Kevin Bacon, were significantly older than the high school characters they portrayed.”
• “The film is loosely based on events that took place in the small, rural farming community of Elmore City, Oklahoma, where dancing was banned until 1980.”
• “Several locations near Provo, Utah, were used for filming, providing the movie’s distinctive small-town setting.”
• “The scene where Ren dances out his frustration in the grain mill used multiple stunt doubles for Kevin Bacon to perform the more physically demanding moves.”

🖥️ How to Watch Footloose?

Footloose (1984) is available to rent or purchase on various platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Check your local listings for cable on-demand options. Physical copies on Blu-ray and DVD can also be purchased online and in stores.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Footloose, you might like these similar films:

• Dirty Dancing (1987): Features a young protagonist challenging social norms through dance and finding love in a restrictive environment.
• Sing (2016): An underdog story about overcoming adversity and expressing oneself through the power of music and performance.
• Hairspray (2007): Focuses on the importance of inclusivity and challenging prejudice through the unifying medium of music and dance.
• Saturday Night Fever (1977): Explores the liberating power of dance as an escape from social and personal constraints.
• Billy Elliot (2000): A young boy defies expectations to pursue his passion for dance.

🛒 Footloose Related Products

• Footloose [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [Remastered]: Relive the iconic soundtrack with this remastered digital download featuring hits by Kenny Loggins, Bonnie Tyler, and more.
• Footloose (1984) [Blu-ray]: Own a piece of 80s nostalgia with this Blu-ray edition of Footloose, featuring bonus content and enhanced picture quality.
• Footloose Movie Poster: A high-quality reprint of the original Footloose movie poster, capturing the energy and excitement of the film.
• Footloose T-Shirt – “Let’s Dance!”: Show off your love for Footloose with this stylish t-shirt featuring a memorable quote or image from the movie.

🎧 Soundtrack

Footloose features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Footloose” – performed by Kenny Loggins
• “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” – performed by Deniece Williams
• “Holding Out for a Hero” – performed by Bonnie Tyler
• “Almost Paradise” – performed by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson
• “Dancing in the Sheets” – performed by Shalamar

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

FOOTLOOSE DANCE REHEARSAL with JULIANNE HOUGH, KENNY WORMALD, and ZIAH COLON

Check out this amazing rehearsal footage from the Footloose remake, featuring the talented cast dancing with so much energy. It’s a great look into the hard work and preparation that went into creating those iconic dance scenes.

Things Only Adults Notice In Dirty Dancing

Have you ever re-watched ‘Footloose’ as an adult and noticed things you didn’t before? This video explores some of the deeper themes and details that adults notice, which can give you a new perspective on the movie and its impact.

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