He's a big-city kid in a small town. They said he'd never win. He knew he had to.

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Laughlin, Frances Lee McCain

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ - good

"I just don't know that I believe in everything you believe in. But I believe in you." - Ariel, to her father, the town preacher

Why watch this? It's so much deeper than a teen Rom-Com about dancing. It's about the fear of change.

Plot Summary: Ren McCormack, a Chicago teenager, moves to the small, conservative town of Bomont where rock music and dancing have been outlawed. Ren struggles to adapt to the new environment and butts heads with the local authorities and residents, particularly the strict minister, Reverend Shaw Moore. Driven by his love for music and dance, Ren, with the help of the minister's rebellious daughter Ariel, sets out to challenge the town's ban and fight for the right to hold a school prom.

Dad's Preview: Small towns. They are lovely and idyllic. They are often religiously conservative, where everybody knows everybody's business. The powerful churches do things like ban rock and roll and dancing. This level of control always creates rebels, many are children of pastors. This film's setting reflects these traits, and it's a perfect setting. All actors excel here, and I really began to like Kevin Bacon as a result. The best performance, however, is by John Lithgow, as the stern pastor, who really captures our hearts. He's resistant to new ideas, afraid for his daughter's soul, and genuinely unsure about how to handle things - he's wonderfully human.

IndieProd; Paramount Pictures