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Footloose (1984)

tomatometer

57

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Reviews Counted: 35
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 15

There's not much dancing, but what's there is great. The rest of the time, Footloose is a nice hunk of trashy teenage cheese.

No Score Yet...

Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 1

There's not much dancing, but what's there is great. The rest of the time, Footloose is a nice hunk of trashy teenage cheese.

audience

73

liked it
Average Rating: 3.3/5
User Ratings: 249,029

My Rating

Movie Info

In this lively adolescent-oriented musical, a city kid attempts to adapt to life in an ultra-conservative backwater Midwestern town. Once there, he ends up leading the repressed teenagers into a rebellion against the town fathers, who have outlawed rock & roll and dancing. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

PG, 1 hr. 47 min.

Drama, Romance, Musical & Performing Arts

Dean Pitchford

Oct 8, 2002

Paramount Home Video

All Critics (36) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (16) | DVD (36)

Essential to the result is young Kevin Bacon, superb in the lead part.

February 12, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comment
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Herbert Ross directed this odd but reasonably effective blend of rock music and didactic melodrama.

January 30, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Footloose is a seriously confused movie that tries to do three things, and does all of them badly.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Like the rest of today's video-happy teen-age entertainments, Footloose doesn't expect to be watched closely or taken seriously. It wants to fill the screen with catchy music and pretty kids, and this it certainly accomplishes.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For such an iconic dance movie, Footloose is an odd bird of a movie with surprisingly little dancing.

October 10, 2011 Full Review Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune | Comment

reignited the youth genre with the dynamics of music video aesthetics and has remained a cultural touchstone ever since

October 3, 2011 Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | Comment
Q Network Film Desk

A dated rebellion tale.

January 2, 2011 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

Footloose wasn't exactly a critical fave, but it didn't try to be hip and it had a relatively light touch, with recognizable human beings on the screen.

February 13, 2008 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment
eFilmCritic.com

The movie features some good dancing -- not nearly enough, however -- and a fine, understated performance by Lithgow in a role that might easily lend itself to caricature.

January 30, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment (1)
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A cynical and manipulative exercise with little feel for the teen culture it purports to celebrate.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

An 80s milestone, for better or for worse... and a key link to any game of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

September 2, 2005 Comment
Flipside Movie Emporium

A lively and entertaining youth drama about the coming of change in a repressive small town.

March 31, 2005 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | Comment
Spirituality and Practice
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Footloose

Kevin Bacons shining moment? I dont know but i still watch this one I catch it on TV. Fun movie.

June 29, 2008
jmanard52

Super Reviewer

[My predicted rating: 2.5]Just as they remake this film the original shows up on tv. A Classic 80's teen movie with lots of corny cliches. Boy meets girl, the town has banned music, boy brings music to the town for everybody to dance to.A fun watch, if only to see a few recognisable faces, Kevin Bacon, Chris Penn,

July 28, 2006
76Majikat

Super Reviewer

    1. Ren McCormick: Jump back.
    – Submitted by James S (8 months ago)

Latest News for Footloose

June 23, 2010:
Cast Announced for Footloose Remake
After all the rumors and casting switcheroos, the starring role in the "Footloose" remake ended up...

May 28, 2010:
Paramount Announces Casting Call for Footloose Remake
It looks like Paramount finally has its troubled "Footloose" remake on track for a summer shoot --...

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Foreign Titles

  • Footloose (1984) (DE)
  • Footloose (1984) (UK)
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