It seems so fitting that a cast of newcomers would remake a classic film. No reputations to worry about tarnishing, but Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald didn’t act like new comers. They Both have flirted with the entertainment industry, Hough a dancer as well as a singer and Wormald a dancer, but this was the make or break role for both. There has been a trend of mediocre acting in a movie filled with dance numbers, but the duo proved to the skeptics that this one was different. A serious story line like the original Footloose kept this movie interesting from the start. The perfect ratio of dance numbers for a film didn’t hinder the acting, it helped it.
While sitting around a coffee table with a collection of ‘media people’ both actors were humble and gave intelligent answers. To start off someone asked Wormald and Hough if they felt pressure or responsibility to bring*ing back such a classic. Quickly Wormald replied, “responsibility not pressure,” and went on to mention how all the pressure was on the studio and as an actor he was responsible for translating the message. Both actors agreed that they were happy the adults of the film were given a more positive feel rather than being demonized. Wormald mentioned how there were so many hidden messages that really helped to make this film more than the dance flick some might assume it to be.
There is a scene in the film where Wormald’s character, Ren is sitting around talking with his on-screen Aunt Lulu (Kim Dickens) and she questions why he feels the need to get the dance ban lifted. He says it’s because he wants to leave a mark on the world, or at least the town. Since he’s an actor he will obviously leave a mark with his films but I asked what his other ‘mark’ would be. After a smile he said “I’ve been teaching dance since I was 15 and after you do a few cool dance jobs, like I danced with Justin Timberlake, people want you to go teach all over the world, so I’ve taught in Iceland and New Zealand, Germany, Paris, all of these places I never imagined going, let alone teaching a dance classes in. I see how it affects these kids in the next generation and the next generation of dancers, and I used to take class from everyone I possibly could, so I think that is an amazing thing to inspire kids whether its film or anything, getting to see how you can affect the younger generation. I was inspired by Footloose when I was a kid and certain teachers and choreographers and to get to do that and now on a bigger level is just awesome.”
When I brought up the racial diversity in the film, Wormald mentioned that “Craig’s from the south and he wanted to shoot this in the south and he’s very aware of the culture in the south so he had to be true to the south. When you’re shooting in Georgia you have all shapes, sizes and color so I think it was a huge part of it and for people if you recognize it, you’ll appreciate that. You know Willard is trying to learn how to grove with the brothers and I think there’s something so beautiful about that moment.” That moment he mentions is a hilarious one of the film and the character of Willard is embodied perfectly by another newcomer, Miles Teller. The camaraderie between characters on set was exactly the same off set according to Hough.
A film filled with great moments and great young actors is the perfect fall film to see. I walked out of the theater dancing with my friend and we sang music all the way home. Just throwing on the soundtrack will make anyone want to dance in their room and a film with so much power is always one to make sure you see. The film hits theaters October 14th and will be around for a little while!
