kevin bacon be footloose in this 1984 film which also star john lithgow and dianne wiest and lori singer and and chris penn . bacon be ren and the new kid in a town that doesn not allow dancing and and he set out to change that . that actually about all there be to the plot and except that ren get involve with pretty ariel and the daughter of the preacher ( john lithgow ) . ariel like to play chicken with thing like train and car . in fact and all these kid have hormone and impulse and and energy that be in desperate need of an outlet . footloose have one of the best soundtrack ever and and some wonderful dancing . despite it serious moment and it have a relentlessly upbeat and exuberant feel to it . herb ross direct while originally and it be suppose to be michael cimino . it certainly would have be a different film with him direct . take footloose for what it be and do not ask for citizen kane and and you will love it .