A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 1 win & 6 nominations total
Videos16
Chris Penn
- Willardas Willard
- (as Christopher Penn)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Classic tale of teenage rebellion and repression features a delightful combination of dance choreography and realistic and touching performances. When teenager Ren McCormack and his family move from big-city Chicago to a small Midwestern town, he's in for a real case of culture shock. Though he tries hard to fit in, the streetwise Ren can't quite believe he's living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. However, there is one small pleasure: Ariel Moore, a troubled but lovely blonde with a jealous boyfriend. And a Bible-thumping minister, who is responsible for keeping the town dance-free. Ren and his classmates want to do away with this ordinance, especially since the senior prom is around the corner, but only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalize the spirit of the repressed townspeople. Fast-paced drama is filled with such now-famous hit songs as the title track and "Let's Hear It for the Boy". —Anonymous
- Taglines
- One kid. One town. One chance.
- Genres
- Certificate
- PG
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaLoosely based on events that took place in the small, rural, and extremely religious farming town of Elmore City, Oklahoma in 1978. Dancing had been banned for nearly ninety years, until a group of high school teenagers challenged it.
- GoofsNear the end of the film Willard gets into a fight with Chuck and his pals and Ren shows up to help him out. During the fight, both Willard's black tuxedo and Ren's red tuxedo get completely covered in dirt. As soon as the fight is over and everyone goes back into the dance, both tuxedos are completely spotless.
- Quotes
Ren: You like Men at Work?
Willard: Which man?
Ren: Men at Work.
Willard: Well where do they work?
Ren: No, they don't, they're a music group.
Willard: Well what do they call themselves?
Ren: Oh no! What about the Police?
Willard: What about 'em?
Ren: You ever heard them?
Willard: No, but I seen them.
Ren: Where, in concert?
Willard: No, behind you.
- Alternate versionsCBS edited 10 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.
- SoundtracksFootloose
Performed by Kenny Loggins
Written by Kenny Loggins and Dean Pitchford
Produced by Kenny Loggins with Lee De Carlo (as Lee DeCarlo)
Top review
Gotta Cut Loose for Kevin Bacon
Aw, come on IMDb'ers, why the low rating? Where's your sense of loyalty? I can't hear that Kenny Loggins title song and see those pairs of dancing feet during the opening credits without sitting down to watch this whole movie. And even if it's largely to make fun of it, I still love it for old times' sake.
Kevin Bacon is the tough city kid stuck in some podunk Midwest town where dancing has been outlawed. John Lithgow is the preacher who serves as Bacon's arch nemesis; Lori Singer is the preacher's daughter who has a hankering for the new dangerous kid. Dianne Wiest is the reasonable mom who acts as referee between dad and daughter. The whole thing is sillier than an episode of "Laugh-In," but many of the actors (particularly Lithgow, Wiest and Bacon) are good enough to actually sell the material. And come on, admit it, you know you like the music.
Grade: B+
Kevin Bacon is the tough city kid stuck in some podunk Midwest town where dancing has been outlawed. John Lithgow is the preacher who serves as Bacon's arch nemesis; Lori Singer is the preacher's daughter who has a hankering for the new dangerous kid. Dianne Wiest is the reasonable mom who acts as referee between dad and daughter. The whole thing is sillier than an episode of "Laugh-In," but many of the actors (particularly Lithgow, Wiest and Bacon) are good enough to actually sell the material. And come on, admit it, you know you like the music.
Grade: B+
helpful•158
- evanston_dad
- Mar 17, 2008
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $8,200,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $80,035,402
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,556,935
- Feb 20, 1984
- Gross worldwide
- $80,039,064
- Runtime1 hour 47 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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