Footloose 2011 is surprisingly close to the 1984 original and therefore survives the re-make process well, with original scribe Dean Pitchford back as co-writer this time. There are inevitable updates, and narrative tweaks are made to improve the flow, but this is a very faithful adaptation that will not upset fans of the first take - even the hit songs and key sequences are mostly intact and used cleverly. The classic teenagers vs. elders story is indestructible (and irresistible), but for a film that is pitched at a slightly younger audience this time round, there are still moments that are quite jarring: Ariel's break-up with Chuck is still physical and harsh yet slightly softened here, but there is an horrific tonal jolt in the prologue and a fight sequence at the end is quite violent. Performances are good all-round, from the reliable Dennis Quaid as the town preacher to Kenny Wormald as Ren - no Kevin Bacon, but he makes the character less intense and more grounded. The weak link in the 1984 version - Lori Singer's bland reading of Ariel - is fixed by a finely-pitched performance from Julianne Hough. The narrative drive remains utterly predictable, but this is a well-made and effective updating that raises nostalgic smiles all the way and provides solid if unremarkable entertainment.
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