Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Micitype Pretty Good

Dotsthavesp I wanted to but couldn't!

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Oliver Thatcher Watson This film is great for the most part. Pretty good acting in most scenes, a pretty great story, great soundtrack, great setup, etc. It's good, but good lord, it is SO cheesy. I mean, seriously. Some scenes in this film are so corny, that it's almost cringe-worthy. On top of that, some scenes can come off as more hilarious due to how corny they are. While the acting is good for the most part, a few actors/actresses kind of exaggerated with their teenage mentality, which was hilariously off putting. Besides all that, I greatly enjoyed this film and I think it's gonna be a permanent staple in the filmography of Kevin Bacon's. I recommend this film to those who like to dance and/or to those who are die-hard 80s fans. Because besides it being extremely cheesy, it's actually a great film.

G Thomas Boston I wish I could say that Bacon sizzles in this "rebellious youth" tale, but he doesn't. There is a lot of ham on the screen and corn in the flaky dialog. This is a typical underdog film with all the tired clichés: the bad guys end up with egg on their faces; the town finally wakes up and smells the coffee; the protagonists eventually turn on the juice; etc.Although Kevin Bacon did an admirable job with his own dancing, I must say that the dancing double used in the more challenging scenes really smoked Bacon. Incidentally, I was going to review another mid-80s film - The Breakfast Club - but I've decided to put that pan on the back burner and cook with this one.You know, it's puzzling that this movie would leave me unsated and hungry for something else.

TheLittleSongbird 'Footloose', despite being an enormous hit back in the 80s, seems to be a very divisive love it/hate it film critically now.This reviewer neither loves or hates 'Footloose', from personal opinion it falls short of being great but the immense appeal is definitely understandable.Its biggest weak point is the story. Conceptually it's daft, and further hampered by laying it on too thick with the ridiculousness (the drug scene and the basic concept) and over-sentimentality (the Reverend's somewhat tacky reform that didn't really ring true compared to how his character was written in general). Ren's dance routine in the abandoned warehouse was far too randomly placed, coming at an unrealistically weird point in the film.Lori Singer being too old didn't bother me as much as it did other reviewers, but the overacting, constantly looking as if she was trying too hard, was less forgivable. The script is uneven, sometimes it's humorously light-hearted and feel good and there is a laudable attempt at providing depth with some more mature themes but too much of it is also cheesy and flimsy.However, the songs are toe-tappingly great, especially the title song "Footloose" and "Let's Hear it for the Boy". The dancing is spirited, and apart from that one scene with Ren the choreography and dance numbers are finger-snappingly infectious. 'Footloose' is a good-looking film too, beautifully shot and smartly photographed with some inventive visuals in the title song, while the direction is solid enough and the pacing sharp and energetic constantly.Singer aside, the cast are simply terrific, with Kevin Bacon in the role that made him a star making for a good free-spirited lead and the sadly late Chris Penn proving that he had the talent to make it bigger than he did. Dianne Wiest doesn't seem capable of giving a bad performance, while John Lithgow is effectively subtle and wisely reigns in in a role that could easily have been the opposite.Overall, falls short of being a great film but the appeal is definitely understandable, because there are a lot of good elements that outweigh the still quite big flaws. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Mr-Fusion Either I missed the boat on this one, or it's really as superficial as "Flashdance". "Footloose" has that packaged-for-MTV feel to it and the rest is cartoonishly serious. I dig Lithgow, but his character's turn from pained fascist to sympathizer is awful. Between the book-burning scene and the spirited game of tractor chicken (set to "I Need a Hero", sheesh), this gets pretty silly. What was odd is that usually movies are able to pull off teenagers with older actors, but everyone looked way too old here.This is a soundtrack movie all the way, and Loggins is calling the shots. But I'd rather just have the album.5/10