Film Review: Footloose (12A)

They’ve remade Footloose,” I tell a friend. “Why?” comes the answer.

“Because they can,” I reply – there’s no other reason (aside from making a lot of money) for this reboot of the teen dance drama from 1984.

That said, the new Footloose is foottappingly fabulous in its own predictable way with its constant references to the original through new versions of the old songs, costumes and the hero’s Beetle car.

Newcomer Kenny Wormald plays Ren, who goes to live with relatives in the small town of Bomont following his mother’s death. There he finds a 10pm curfew on under-18s and a ban on dancing within the town limits – imposed by the local council at the instigation of preacher man Dennis Quaid.

Ren turns into a rebel with a cause after being stopped by police for playing loud music in his car and getting into trouble at school. Mind you, he’s an angel compared to the Rev’s daughter (Julianne Hough) who’s mixing with a bad crowd and going off the rails.

The two leads are attractive and Miles Teller indulges in a scene-stealing turn as the friend who needs to learn to dance to attract the girls.