Ren McCormack, a spirited teen from Chicago, moves to the quiet, conservative town of Bomont with his mother, Ethel, after financial struggles force them to live with Ren’s aunt and uncle. From the moment he steps into the town, Ren feels out of place. Bomont is a community bound tightly by strict rules, a reflection of Reverend Shaw Moore’s stronghold on its values. At church, Ren meets the reserved Reverend, his kind wife Vi, and their rebellious daughter, Ariel, who defies her father at every opportunity.
On his first day at school, Ren befriends the good-natured but awkward Willard Hewitt. Through Willard, Ren discovers the strange truth about Bomont: dancing and rock music are banned. The ban, enacted years ago after a tragic car accident killed several local teens, including Ariel’s older brother, was Reverend Moore’s way of protecting the town’s youth. Ren’s love for music and dancing clashes with the town’s rules, but he brushes it off, hoping to keep a low profile.
Ren’s plans to stay under the radar crumble when he begins to fall for Ariel. Her reckless behavior and defiance of her father’s authority make her a magnet for trouble—and for Ren. However, her jealous boyfriend, Chuck Cranston, sees Ren as a threat. Chuck challenges Ren to a game of chicken on tractors, a showdown that ends with Ren victorious and Chuck humiliated.
Reverend Moore, already distrustful of Ren, forbids Ariel from seeing him. Ignoring the Reverend’s warning, Ren takes Ariel, Willard, and Ariel’s best friend, Rusty, to a lively country bar just outside the Bomont county line. The group dances the night away, but Willard, insecure about his inability to dance, gets into a fight with a man flirting with Rusty. On the way home, Ariel opens up to Ren about her brother’s death and the strict laws her father pushed through in response. Ren, inspired by her story, decides to challenge the town’s anti-dancing ordinance so the high school can hold a senior prom.
Determined to make his case, Ren helps Willard overcome his embarrassment by teaching him how to dance. Meanwhile, Ariel breaks up with Chuck after a heated argument turns physical. Ren steps in to comfort her, deepening their bond. However, the fallout from their growing relationship intensifies when someone throws a brick through Ren’s window, scrawled with the words “Burn in Hell.” When Ren’s uncle criticizes his efforts, Ethel defends her son, encouraging him to stand up for what he believes in, even if it comes at a cost.
With Ariel’s support, Ren appears before the town council to argue for the repeal of the anti-dancing law. In a passionate speech, he cites Bible verses that celebrate dancing as a form of joy and expression. Though his words move Reverend Moore, the council ultimately votes against the proposal. At home, Vi urges her husband to reconsider, reminding him that he cannot control everything and that his overbearing nature has driven a wedge between him and Ariel.
Reverend Moore wrestles with his doubts, particularly after Ariel confronts him about his inability to forgive or trust her. His internal conflict comes to a head when he witnesses townspeople burning books they deem dangerous to youth. Horrified by their actions, Moore intervenes, scolding the mob and sending them home. Realizing the unintended consequences of his rigid control, he begins to soften.
On the Sunday before prom, Reverend Moore delivers a heartfelt sermon, asking the congregation to pray for the high school students attending the dance. Though the prom is held at a grain mill just outside the county line to avoid Bomont’s jurisdiction, Moore and Vi listen from a distance, quietly showing their support.
At the prom, the students embrace their newfound freedom, but trouble brews when Chuck and his gang show up to start a fight. Willard, newly confident, defends Rusty but finds himself outnumbered until Ren intervenes. Together, they fend off Chuck and his friends, ending the confrontation. Victorious, Ren, Ariel, Willard, and Rusty return to the dance floor, where the entire town’s youth comes alive, celebrating with music, laughter, and movement.
As the night unfolds, the grain mill is filled with energy, hope, and the joy of finally reclaiming a long-lost freedom. The four friends join the others in dancing, marking the beginning of a new era for Bomont, one where individuality and expression find their place amid tradition.
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