Footloose (2011)

The Footloose remake has been in development for a few years now. Originally Zac Efron was cast as the lead but pulled out in 2009. Kenny Ortega was also set to direct before pulling out following budget constraints and creative differences. Thankfully Craig Brewer and newcomer Kenny Wormaid came on board because their version is one of the better remakes from the 1980's.

This version updates the settings and swaps a few elements around but for most parts-Brewer's remake exudes the look and style of the original: semi-awkward dance choreography, clunky dialogue and way too many clichés to go into here. But somehow it works. They've updated it for the Step-up generation but the film still maintains the small-town country feel. The film is very similar to the original, so it remains to be seen whether fans of the 1984 version will enjoy a new version or wonder what the point was.

Kenny Wormaid plays Ren McCormack, a Boston teenager who relocates to the fictional town of Bomont, Tennessee after his Mother dies of Leukaemia. Although Ren is committed to doing well in school and helping out his uncle Wes (Ray Mckinnon), he quickly come up against the law when he discovers that there are laws against loud music, dancing, and most other social activities. Ren is determined to bring dancing back to Bomont and starts to attract the attention of Reverend Moore (Dennis Quaid) and his Daughter Ariel (Julianne Hough). Ren is branded a trouble maker by the local authorities and finds himself estranged from the adult community and is forced to fight these laws with the help of his classmates.

To be honest with you I still think the dancing ban isn't the most dramatic hook for a film and, although Kenny does OK in the role of Ren- he certainly is no Kevin Bacon. The angry dance scene in the warehouse is still as silly as it was back in 1984 and Julianne Hough doesn't really spark as the rebellious Ariel (lovely though she is). But Footloose is harmless fun. There's some decent musical moments (the theme song is still guaranteed to get your feet tapping) and there's one or two decent laughs from sidekick Willard (Miles Teller) to make this a perfectly fine way to spend a couple of hours in the cinema.

Footloose sticks closely to the formula of the original and it works. There have been far to many bad remakes made in the last few years, but this is harmless fun.