Overview
A rebellious teen fights to bring dance back to a town that has outlawed it, igniting a cultural revolution.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- energetic
- earnest
- nostalgic
- nostalgic movie night
- dance party
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as a commercially effective but uneven teen musical whose energetic songs and Kevin Bacon’s likable performance outshine its confused dramatic ambitions.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ren opposes Bomont’s ban on rock music and dancing, turning teenage self-expression into a community-wide conflict.
Ren and his classmates use dancing and the senior prom to resist repression and revive the town’s social spirit.
Ren moves from Chicago to Bomont and struggles to fit into a town where dancing and loud music are forbidden.
The film prominently uses performance-driven dance set pieces and hit songs including “Footloose” and “Let’s Hear It for the Boy.”
Films like Footloose, and why
The Karate Kid
shared coming-of-age rebellion, outsider protagonist, teenage romance, and an uplifting youth-oriented struggle against restrictive authority
Save the Last Dance
shared teen drama, dance-centered self-expression, small-town social pressure, and energetic popular-music soundtrack
Flashdance
shared dance-driven romance, generational conflict, community resistance, and triumphant performance sequences
Hairspray
shared youthful rebellion, romance, musical performance, and conflict with conservative social expectations
Movie Details
- Director
- Herbert Ross
- Release Date
- 1984-02-17
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (2280)
Cast
- Kevin Bacon
- Lori Singer
- John Lithgow
- Dianne Wiest
- Chris Penn
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- John Laughlin
- Elizabeth Gorcey
- Frances Lee McCain
- Jim Youngs
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Footloose about?
- A Chicago teenager brings dance, romance, and rebellious energy to a conservative town where music and movement have been outlawed.
- What is Footloose like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Footloose as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Footloose violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Footloose as mild.
- What did critics think of Footloose?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as a commercially effective but uneven teen musical whose energetic songs and Kevin Bacon’s likable performance outshine its confused dramatic ambitions.
- Which films are like Footloose?
- Films with a similar feel include The Karate Kid, Save the Last Dance, Flashdance, and Hairspray.
- How long is Footloose?
- Footloose runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Footloose?
- In United States, Footloose streams on YouTube TV.
