Remakes are a tricky thing. No shit. We complain when, for example, a classic horror film is updated and tricked out with unnecessary backstory. To paraphrase Patton Oswalt's quote about the STAR TREK prequels, just because I like something doesn't mean I want to know how it was made. At the same time, if a filmmaker is too faithful to the original, the gripes then become something along the lines of "Why did they bother remaking that?" The third camp ("All. Remakes. Suck") is at least easier to define. And I'm guessing that filmmaker Craig Brewer (HUSTLE & FLOW; BLACK SNAKE MOAN) isn't a big fan of remakes either. But here's the thing: once you see his take on Footloose, the 1984 film that made Kevin Bacon a star, you'll instantly realize that he re-did this tale of a small town that has banned dancing because he's its biggest fan.
The updates in Brewer's FOOTLOOSE are minor and ultimately they don't made a difference in whether or not I liked this undeniable crowd-pleaser that relies as much on fan memories of the original film as it does on simply getting audiences tapping their toes, sometimes to the same songs that populated the monster soundtrack nearly 30 years ago.
The most startling addition to Brewer's FOOTLOOSE is the opening dance to the original Kenny Loggins' theme song. And while we hear all about the post-dance horrible accident that killed several high school students in the original film, in this new version, the accident is (tastefully) shown, and for some reason it makes a big difference. The tragedy is more immediate, and the town's reaction (led by Rev. Moore, played nicely by Dennis Quaid) doesn't seem quite as unwarranted. This is a town that wants to protect its children, and it will do anything to make that happen. It doesn't take a political science degree to see that Brewer is commenting on America and its perceived tendency in the last 10 years to overreact to potential danger. And he pulls off this message without having to change much at all with the plot.
Actual professional dancer Kenny Wormald plays Boston transplant Ren McCormack, who comes to town after his mother dies of cancer to stay with his aunt and uncle. He's a bit shocked at the not dancing/no loud music laws, but his rebel stance attracts the attention of the reverend's daughter, Ariel (Julianne Hough of "Dancing with the Stars" fame, who actually does a solid job acting as well). And if you know the original film, you know how things fall into place. Ren and Ariel flirt, her scumbag boyfriend (Patrick Flueger from MOTHER'S DAY) gets jealous, the kids protest the no dancing rules so they can have a end-of-year dance, and Ren makes an impassioned, bible-quoting speech before the town elders to bring back the dance.
The legendary "angry dance" is still present, but it's slightly altered so that Ren is actually crashing into the machines and random debris that is cluttering the empty warehouse. And the sequence in which Ren teaches his new best buddy Willard (Miles Teller) to dance is practically a shot-for-shot redo. As the ultimate FOOTLOOSE fan, Brewer is keenly aware of what works from the original film and what needs a boost, and the darker edge he brought to his previous two works serve him well at bringing some poignant drama to the proceedings. I was particularly weirded out by a sequence in which Ariel's boyfriend pressures her to have sex, and then she gives in so he won't break up with her. Sadly, this is probably a more realistic take on such situations in today's world.
But I keep coming back to one crucial point about FOOTLOOSE: it's wildly entertaining for the plain and simple reason that Brewer loves the material. Wormald isn't the greatest actor the world has ever seen, but his big speech near the end of the film is delivered with just the right amount of fire. And his dancing is undeniably impressive. I liked the friendship that develops between Ren and Willard; I bought that these two guys would look out for each other, and Teller is especially strong here.
Here's my one and only challenge to you: Watch before you react. See the film before you dismiss it. You don't have to like it, but you at least have to give it a fair shake before you bad mouth it. I know too many people who walked into the new FOOTLOOSE skeptics and came out fans of the work. I think you will too. It's time to remember what being pleasantly surprised feels like. And then it'll be time to dance.
