Footloose

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

This is actually a really decent remake of the Kevin Bacon film. And it's not the musical version thank god. Craig Brewer sticks very close to the original, all the same moments are in this film, even entire chunks of dialogue is exactly the same, just delivered with a slightly different attitude and with modern sensibilities. I really don't know what more you could ask for in a remake except maybe to ask why it needed to be remade at all. That's still something I'm not so sure about, but if it's going to be redone it may as well be done as good as this.

The opening credits scene instantly sets the tone, there's an energy and joy to the dancing and a huge nostalgic rush with the choice of music. I was instantly excited to see what they were going to do with the material after that.

One thing this film does which I believe is absent from the original is you actually get to see the accident that caused the ridiculous law to be passed. The reasoning behind it is far more relatable and makes that tough conceit easier to swallow than in the original.

Kenny Wormald does a fine job jumping into those shoes. The angry dance that's so iconic in the original is really sold well here too. And his subtle line delivery of the immortal lines "Jump back" made me laugh out loud. There's a couple of those moments and they are a lot of fun. Brewer is obviously a massive fan of the original.

Dennis Quaid is also a little less cartoonish than John Lithgow, everything seems a little more grounded. Or maybe just not setting it in the 80's makes it seem that way.

The important thing is that the few dance numbers they have are a joy to watch and really make you want to get up and start boogying around the isles. Like the original the music soundtrack is pretty eclectic.

Any fan of the original is sure to love this, as long as they have even the slightest open mind. It's sure to draw in new fans too. Very enjoyable!