Footloose

I was just shy of 2 years old when the original Footloose starring Kevin Bacon came out. My first Broadway show in NYC was Footloose. I've never seen the movie and I own the musical's soundtrack. So, when I went to the movie screening of the new Footloose last night, I ended up learning a couple of things.

1. Ren came from Boston (I don't remember this from the musical, but then again I was a NY girl living in CA, never thinking I'd end up in Boston as an adult so I probably missed that detail).

2. The story takes place in Bomont, GA (not Beaumont, TX where my brother-in-law grew up, which was disappointing but to be honest, I can think of a lot of small southern towns where this story could have taken place, so whatever).

I haven't been a big fan of all these movie remakes, but I've never seen the original, so maybe I should rent the Kevin Bacon one to compare. I enjoyed the movie and walked out of the theater last night feeling happy. I love the music, you wanted to just sing right along to the tracks. They did a great job updating the story to fit into today's world (with iPods, rap music, etc.). There were some great one liners that the audience just loved, especially all the lines having to do with Boston, more specifically, the Boston attitude. Hilarious b/c we're in Boston.

Now, I don't have legit southern roots [at least none that I'm aware of], but seeing as I've spent a few months down there in various towns, the whole southern thing I could related to. Like, I know people who would drive on the dirt road to prom in a cotton gin on a four wheeler (instead of a car). I was picturing people I've met in the south and comparing them to the characters in the movie. It made me wish I had my own cowboy boots and a cute cowboy hat to wear and oh, how I felt like line dancing afterwards! And don't get me started on the southern drawl! Throughout the movie, I was consciously thinking "damn, I'm going to go meet up with a guy after the movie and my southern drawl is going to slip out"...and sure enough, while watching the Pats game I said something and he said "oh, there's that southern accent you told me about". I can't help it!

I like movies. With all the stresses in the world, it's nice to see a movie that leaves you feeling cheerful. I enjoyed this movie, it would be a fun one to own and watch every now and then. No, it wasn't cheesy like High School Musical, but I did feel somewhat old watching this movie about high schoolers, since I've been out of high school for 11 years. There wasn't as much music or dancing as I had hoped, but I'm blaming that on my expectation of the movie being like the musical I saw on Broadway. I really wish I had put the soundtrack of the musical on my iTunes b/c I can't get the songs "Footloose" and "Lets here it for the Boy" out of my head.