FOOTLOOSE

FOOTLOOSE (Rated PG-13 for profanity, sexually related material, violence, teen drinking, drug-related content, tense family material, thematic elements):   Why so many remakes?   Aside from the fact that writing has not remained as being of artistic  importance to Hollywood cinema, it seems there are two main reasons:   with vainglorious attempts to "improve" a classic with modern techniques, and/or to re-introduce it to a younger target audience.

This movie attempts both, and up to a point succeeds - by targeting teens with its tone, topical music  & attitude - to make a pile of money by glibly  impressing them.

Rather than draw contrasts with the original 1984 "teen-who's-gotta-dance-no-matter-what-the-law-says" musical, let's take a look at this as a contemporary flick about a kid who returns from a stint in Boston to his small-town Southern roots, to fight a local rule that says, "Uh-uh, positively no public dancing, no-how - defies the law, and with the backing of the community's entire teen society and a few liberal adults, works up to a court battle & victorious town-hall blast.

Badly written with a failed attempt to introduce an honest, sincere adult side of the issue, blocked by insipid, phony arguments (that are ever in odds with what's actually done) to be fair & understanding of the kids' wishes, a wishy-washy script fails on all counts.  A rebellious issue is  backed by one rebellious Ren McCormack (Kenny Wormald with an obvious James Dean complex) for the teens to take over their own lives & make their own laws.  Capably directed by Craig Brewer (who knows on which side his bread has been buttered) and scripted by him & the original writer Dean Pitchford, the story stays close to the original, though it can't seem to decide whether it should be a generation gap drama with bows to "Rebel Without a Cause" or a musical that pays lip service with a few very brief spirited numbers.

In either case, it's slickly mounted, features the newcomer Wormald (who's short on acting talent but assuredly can dance) and Julianne Hough as his sidekick - a sexually rebellious, attractive minister's daughter (Do ministers have any other kind of daughter in such flicks?) - and a handful of familiar faces, all of whom must spout embarrassingly clichéd speeches from time to time in the guise of fairness & sincerity, while neither is well represented.

The little dancing that there is, is, of course, more sexually obvious, the clothing tighter (with less of it), and the kids more high-energy alert - but always, underneath, big with heart. Accept that, if you can, and you'll find  the movie worth the nearly two hours it takes to sell itself to audiences new & old.  (Grade: B-)