“Footloose” Movie Remake: 30 Years After the Original, This Is Their Time

By Addie Strong
October 14, 2011

A few years ago, I was enjoying my meal in a New York eatery when none other than Kevin Bacon sat down nearby. As I relished the thought of being one degree closer to Kevin Bacon, someone at the restaurant pumped up the volume on the stereo, and—you guessed it—"Loose, footloose, kick off your Sunday shoes..." screamed through the sound system while Kevin just smiled. I didn't think there'd even been a more perfect tribute to the classic '80s movie. Boy, was I wrong.

left: Julianne Hough as Ariel Moore and Kenny Wormald as Ren MacCormack in Paramount Pictures' Footloose. (photo credit: K.C. Bailey)

The remake of 1984’s “Footloose,” out today, is earning rave reviews from those who've previewed it, despite weathering its fair share of problems before production even started. First, the movie was slated to star “High School Musical” heartthrob Zac Efron, but he dropped out of the project after deciding he needed more diverse (a.k.a., non-dancing) roles. Then “Gossip Girl” actor Chace Crawford replaced Efron, only to cancel his plans as well.

Finally—without a big-name leading man—producers decided to open casting to the public in the hopes of finding an incredible dancer who could carry the movie on his moves alone. That’s how they found relatively unknown actor and dancer Kenny Wormald, who ultimately filled the role of rebel Ren McCormack. Like Ren, Kenny is a Boston-area native with a thick accent and a tough streak that belies his more graceful talents.

"Footloose" Trailer (via MTV)

Footloose

Julianne Hough plays Ariel (center) and Kenny Wormald plays Ren (center right, in white t-shirt) in "Footloose." (photo credit: K.C. Bailey, Paramount Pictures)

Of course, when the movie was first being organized, producers didn’t have a major female star playing the role of local minister’s daughter Ariel Moore, either. At the time, blonde beauty Julianne Hough was best known for teaming up with better-known celebs on “Dancing With the Stars.” Sure, she had led Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno and Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves to victory on the dance floor, but Hough was definitely far below A-list, especially when it came to acting. No one would have guessed that the mirror ball trophy winner would now be the lead of a blockbuster movie (or that she’d be dating Ryan Seacrest, her current, very A-list boyfriend).

Footloose

Miles Teller plays Willard and Kenny Wormald plays Ren in "Footloose." (photo credit: K.C. Bailey, Paramount Pictures)

Footloose

Cast of "Footloose" (Photo credit: K.C. Bailey, Paramount Pictures)

Compared to most remakes, “Footloose” stays quite true to the original’s plot. The main deviation is that the new film is much more careful to explain the sensitive history of the town’s dancing prohibition. By better justifying the ban—the town blamed music and dancing for a tragic accident that killed five local teenagers—the adults are much more sympathetic figures than they were in the 1984 version. The ensuing emotional tug of war between the kids who protest being forever punished for a tragic accident and the adults who can’t seem to let go of the past creates a deeper and more intense struggle. “I want ‘Footloose’ to do to this generation what it did to my generation,” director Craig Brewer told the New York Times. “I want it to really shake them up, and I know people will roll their eyes, but this ain’t ‘Glee.’”

Footloose

Andie MacDowell plays Vi Moore, Kenny Wormald plays Ren, and Dennis Quaid plays Rev. Shaw Moore. (photo credit: K.C. Bailey, Paramount Pictures)

Still, this movie isn’t entirely serious—there’s also plenty of updated and incredibly fun, sexy dancing to see this time around. “I think we need a movie that makes us feel good,” actress Andie MacDowell, who plays Ariel’s mom, told MTV. “Everything is so depressing and everybody is exhausted from worrying about to the economy that everybody just needs to go out and have a good time.” Thanks to Cee Lo Green, Big & Rich, Zac Brown and Blake Shelton, the soundtrack provides the perfect backdrop for the contemporary moves of Kenny and Julianne. In fact, we’ll be shocked if your gym’s dance classes aren’t booked solid in the weeks following this movie’s release.

If you fear you lack the rhythm, you can still take part in the “Footloose” madness. In fact, you’ll be in good company: Total eBay sales for the search term “Footloose” are up 8%, total listings are up 9% and total bids are up 10%.