The grand auditorium of Mann's Chinese Theatre settled into an expectant hush as the house lights faded to black. The Paramount logo illuminated the vast screen, and as the opening titles began to roll, the unmistakable, driving beat of "Footloose," performed by Alex Hayes himself, filled the theatre. His rendition, pulsating with energy, was the first creative stamp on the film, and a murmur of recognition for his voice, mixed with anticipation, rippled through the audience. Alex, sitting beside Diane, felt a particular surge of nervous pride hearing his voice launch the cinematic experience.
On screen, underscored by Alex's vibrant track, a joyous montage of dancing feet set a carefree tone, only to be brutally cut short by the shocking tragedy: Bobby Moore and his friends killed when their car collided head-on with a truck on a bridge. The narrative then established Reverend Shaw Moore, Bobby's father, persuading the Bomont city council to pass draconian laws, including a ban on all unsupervised dancing.
Three years later, Chicago-raised teenager Ren McCormack moved to Bomont to live with his uncle Wes Warnicker, his aunt Lulu, and cousins after his mother's death and his father's desertion. On his first day at Bomont High School, Ren befriended Willard Hewitt and Woody, who explained the town's peculiar ban on dancing. Ren found himself attracted to Reverend Moore's rebellious daughter, Ariel. His growing interest in Ariel angered her boyfriend, Chuck Cranston.
The tension culminated when Chuck challenged Ren to a game of chicken involving tractors. As the two massive machines hurtled towards each other on screen, a hush fell over the theatre, followed by gasps. When Ren cleverly won the challenge, forcing a humiliated Chuck to dive for safety, a wave of cheers and relieved applause broke out.
Following this, Shaw Moore's mistrust of Ren grew. Ren found himself wrongly blamed for the tractor race and was also caught with a joint that belonged to another student.
Frustrated and seeking an outlet, Ren found solace in an abandoned warehouse. As the music swelled and Ren exploded into a dynamic, defiant solo dance – a whirlwind of leaps, spins, and raw emotion – the audience was mesmerized. The raw energy on screen was palpable, and as the sequence hit its peak, sharp whistles and a sudden burst of enthusiastic applause echoed through the theatre, acknowledging the sheer physicality and emotional release of the moment.
Ren and his classmates soon decided they wanted to do away with the anti-dancing law and have a senior prom. Ren also took it upon himself to teach Willard how to dance.
It was around this point in the film, observing the seamless blend of youthful rebellion, emotional depth, and vibrant energy, that Dean Pitchford, the screenwriter, found himself reflecting. He'd initially had reservations about some of the structural and tonal shifts Alex Hayes had advocated for during development. But seeing it now, playing out before a captivated audience, Dean had to admit, Alex's instincts had been sharp. The changes had indeed tightened the narrative and amplified the film's core appeal, making it resonate even more powerfully. He made a mental note to congratulate Alex later. At that moment, as if sensing the positive vibe, Alex himself seemed to visibly relax in his seat, a subtle shift from tension to quiet pride.
On screen, Ariel began to fall for Ren due to his caring and kind nature. This prompted her father to complain to Ren's uncle, who explained the circumstances of Ren's mother's death and suggested that perhaps the Reverend should reconsider who was "too good" for whom. Ariel then dumped Chuck, an act which resulted in a physical altercation where Chuck gave her a black eye.
On screen, the film then showed a shaken Ariel shortly after her confrontation with Chuck, her face bruised. Ren found her, his concern evident as he gently tended to her. His quiet strength and empathy seemed to soothe her raw anger and hurt. They share a soft, healing kiss – a silent promise of comfort and understanding amidst the turmoil.
Later in church, Reverend Moore found out about Ariel's black eye and, believing Ren responsible, demanded his arrest. Ariel, however, courageously told him he couldn't blame everything on Ren as he did with Bobby. She then revealed she had lost her virginity to Chuck, leading to Shaw slapping her in shock and anger. Vi, his wife, intervened, telling Shaw he had gone too far and was not being a good father.
Ren then went before the City Council to request the anti-dancing laws be abolished. As he stood before the council members, passionately reading Bible verses given to him by Ariel that described dancing as a form of rejoicing and worship, the audience listened with rapt attention. There was a palpable sense of hope, a shared desire for Ren to succeed against the entrenched conservatism. However, Reverend Moore arrived with the votes already secured to defeat Ren's motion, and it went down to defeat, drawing a quiet sigh of disappointment from the viewers.
The next day, Reverend Moore found members of his congregation burning library books they claimed endangered the town's youth. Realizing the situation had become uncontrollable, Moore stopped them, chastised them, and sent them home.
Despite the City Council's refusal, Ren's boss, Andy Beamis, offered his cotton mill in the neighboring town for the prom. Knowing Moore's influence, Ren visited him. They found common ground discussing their lost loved ones. Ren stated that while the law stood, they couldn't stop the dance, and respectfully asked permission to take Ariel. Shaw agreed. A few days later, Reverend Moore unexpectedly asked his congregation to pray for the students.
On prom night, as Ren and Ariel arrived, Chuck and his friends showed up to start trouble. The ensuing confrontation was swift and satisfying. The audience cheered as Ren, Ariel, Willard, Rusty, and Andy quickly subdued Chuck's gang and ran them off.
With the troublemakers gone, Ren flung confetti into a shredding machine and yelled, "Let's dance!" As the band struck up a country rendition of "Footloose," and the entire mill erupted in joyous, uninhibited dancing, the theatre audience exploded with exuberant applause, whistles, and cheers. The feeling was one of pure elation and catharsis, a shared celebration of freedom and resilience.
The energy remained high as the credits rolled, the applause sustained, marking a triumphant premiere for Footloose.
Amidst the thunderous cheers and standing ovation, Diane Lane leaned over and pressed a light, proud kiss on Alex's lips. Around them, the atmosphere was electric. Actors Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker were enthusiastically congratulating their friends. John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest, who had delivered such powerful performances, were exchanging hugs with screenwriter Dean Pitchford and director Herbert Ross. Barry Diller and Michael Eisner from Paramount were beaming, shaking hands with the creative team; they could clearly see, and hear, that the film had deeply resonated with the audience by the sheer volume and duration of the cheers.