Is it basically the same as the Kevin Bacon version?

Almost exactly. It follows the same plot beats, including the warehouse dance and the tractor race. It’s just slicker, with more modern music and more complex choreography.

Why was dancing banned in the first place?

The movie opens with a car accident where five teens died after a party. The town council, led by the local minister, passed the laws to prevent 'reckless' behavior and keep other kids safe from similar tragedies.

Is the dancing too suggestive for a 10-year-old?

There is some 'dirty dancing' style grinding in the club and prom scenes. It’s not graphic, but it’s definitely 2011-era club dancing, which might be a bit much for younger kids depending on your family's vibe.

Does the movie have a religious agenda?

Not really. It portrays the minister as a man blinded by his own grief rather than a religious villain. It actually uses the Bible to support the idea of dancing and celebration, making it more of a debate about interpretation than an attack on faith.

Footloose – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Footloose

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2011

58%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A city kid moves to a town where dancing is illegal and proceeds to aggressively renovate the local minister's worldview through 2011-era choreography.

5.9/10

68%

61%

→

Footloose

movie

PG-13, 2011

58%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A city kid moves to a town where dancing is illegal and proceeds to aggressively renovate the local minister's worldview through 2011-era choreography.

5.9

68%

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5.9/10

68%

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Screenwise Verdict

This is the remake nobody really asked for, but it’s surprisingly functional. It lacks the weird, lightning-in-a-bottle charm of Kevin Bacon’s 1984 version, but for a kid who thinks movies made before 2000 are 'ancient history,' this is a perfectly fine substitute.

It’s slick, the dancing is objectively better than the original, and the central conflict—a kid from the city telling a small town they're being ridiculous—still works. It’s not essential viewing, but if your kid is into dance movies or teen dramas, it’s a safe, middle-of-the-road pick for a Friday night.

Age Fit

Best for 12 and up. It deals with teen death, drinking, and rebellion in a way that middle schoolers will find relatable but might be too heavy or 'grown-up' for younger kids who just want to see people dance.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The core story is about a community healing from tragedy through expression, but it's wrapped in a layer of teen rebellion, angst, and some fairly standard 'bad boy' tropes.

Imaginative

It's a beat-for-beat remake of the 1984 classic. While the choreography is updated for 2011, it doesn't offer much in the way of original ideas or world-building.

Safe

Typical PG-13 territory: teen drinking, some suggestive 'grinding' style dancing, and a tractor chicken race that's dangerous but clearly cinematic. No major surprises for the genre.

Enriching

It touches on how grief can lead to over-protective laws and the importance of questioning authority, though it usually prioritizes the dance numbers over deep thematic exploration.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

High-energy choreography that feels much more athletic and modern than the 80s original, which might actually keep a modern teen's attention.
Solid gateway for discussion about why communities make restrictive rules and whether 'safety' is always worth the trade-off in freedom.
Miles Teller shows up in a supporting role before he was a massive star, and he's easily the most charming part of the movie.

⚠

What to Watch For

The opening scene depicts a fatal car crash involving teens, which is the entire catalyst for the town's ban on dancing and loud music.
Ariel’s 'troubled' behavior includes some risky stunts with moving vehicles and a fairly toxic relationship with an older guy before Ren arrives.
The tractor chicken scene is a direct callback to the original but feels even more reckless with modern production values.

Conversation Starters

"Why did the town think banning dancing would actually keep people safe after the accident?"
"Ren uses the Bible to argue his case to the town council—do you think he was being respectful or just manipulative?"
"Is Ariel actually 'troubled,' or is she just reacting to her father's grief in the only way she knows how?"

Deep Dive

The Remake Dilemma

When you remake Footloose, you’re fighting two battles: you have to satisfy the parents who grew up on the soundtrack, and you have to convince a new generation that 'dancing is illegal' isn't the dumbest plot point ever conceived. The 2011 version leans into the tragedy to make the ban feel more grounded. By starting with the actual car accident that killed five local kids, the movie gives the Minister’s (Dennis Quaid) overbearing rules a layer of understandable, if misguided, grief.

Modern Moves

Kenny Wormald, who plays Ren, is a professional dancer first and an actor second. It shows. The warehouse dance—the iconic 'I’m angry so I’m going to do gymnastics' scene—is technically impressive, even if it feels a bit like a music video. Julianne Hough brings a similar high-level dance pedigree to Ariel. The result is a movie that looks great but occasionally feels like it’s checking boxes on a list of 'things that happened in the original.'

Why It Matters

Despite being a bit 'mid' by critical standards, it’s a decent entry point for talking about civil disobedience. Ren doesn't just break the law; he goes to the library, researches the town charter, and makes a formal appeal to the council. It’s a surprisingly bureaucratic way to start a revolution, and it’s a good model for how to challenge authority without just burning everything down. If your kid liked Step Up or Save the Last Dance, they’ll find plenty to like here, even if the 'no dancing' premise feels like a relic from a different era.