Footloose (1984): More Than Just '80s Nostalgia?

Okay, cinephiles, let's talk Footloose (the OG one, obvi). I know, I know, it's easy to dismiss it as pure '80s cheese with Kevin Bacon doing his iconic angry dance. But I was rewatching it the other day, and I actually think there's some interesting stuff going on, cinematically, that gets overlooked. Specifically, I was paying attention to the way Herbert Ross, the director, uses light and shadow. Think about the contrast between Chicago, shown very briefly at the start, and Bomont. Chicago is all bright lights and vibrant colors, even in Ren's comparatively humble apartment. Then he arrives in Bomont and everything's muted, almost drab. The church, obviously a focal point, always seems to be shrouded in shadow, reflecting the oppressive atmosphere. And Ariel's red boots – they're literally a pop of color against this backdrop, a sign of her rebelliousness. And speaking of Ariel, Lori Singer does some pretty great expressive work, no? The scene where she's on the combine harvester? Little on the nose, sure, but the sheer desperation in her eyes as she screams, trying to escape the constrictions of her town and her father's control... powerful stuff. I think sometimes we get too caught up in the soundtrack (which, granted, is amazing) and forget there's actually some decent visual storytelling happening too. Anyway, that's just my two cents. What do you guys think? Am I overanalyzing a bit of fluffy '80s fun, or is there more to Footloose than meets the eye? I'm genuinely curious to hear your opinions!