Movie Review - 'The Runaways'

The Runaways Starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, and Michael Shannon Directed by Floria Sigismondi Rated R

The Runaways is rock n’ roll defanged. It is certainly a story worth telling – the inauspicious beginnings and sudden end of one of the first all-girl rock bands – but it loses itself in the ephemera. While it might be true that family issues and drugs kept lead singer Cherie Currie from becoming the rock star she could be, The Runaways doesn't commit to that idea fully enough, making anything other than a scant inclusion worth our time. But that's not an isolated problem, unfortunately. The band had five members, but their depictions are hardly democratic. Joan Jett went on to become, well, Joan Jett, and she’s one of the producers of this biopic as well as the band's co-founder. Obviously, she's going to have a large role. Currie's presence should also be strong. It was her departure from the group that really ended the party. But drummer Sandy West (Stella Maeve) is heard from only rarely, lead guitarist Lita Ford (Scout Taylor-Compton) makes waves in one scene, and the bassist (Alia Shawkat) isn't even the real bassist. Or a real bassist. The band's real, but they invented a musician, presumably to avoid another sub-plot altogether: The band's original bass player was also the singer prior to Currie's arrival and went on to join The Bangles. But that would destroy the myth that these five girls came together immediately and soared to the top. That they soared to the top is also a myth, but to five teenage girls, it probably had to seem that way, particularly when they went to Japan, where a lot of American rock acts found success while US charts barely paid attention. It's while the Runaways are making music that the film shows any life at all. Director Floria Sigismondi has a music video background, which is probably why the film only gains a pulse when songs are playing, but those moments are actually quite good. There's very little momentum beyond that, though. It's a paint-by-numbers set: Band members meet, play first gig, get big, overdose, break-up, epilogue. Breaking up the monotony, in the film's only real performance, is Michael Shannon as manager/producer/oddball Kim Fowley. Fowley and the young bandmates, while they shared a common goal, were not a good partnership. And Shannon does his part illustrating that. Not so the leads. Twilight’s Kristen Stewart is the leather-clad teenage Jett. Very few young actresses tap into nervous energy the way Stewart does, and while it works for Bella Swan, it’s the wrong note for Joan Jett. She should project the right attitude, but she really doesn't. If this Joan Jett wanted to start a band, the idea would never leave her own head, so afraid of everything is the current Kristen Stewart persona. As troubled lead singer Cherie Currie, Dakota Fanning doesn’t seem too much like a little girl anymore; maybe it’s because she sings the band’s classic “Cherry Bomb” in lingerie. She tries harder than Stewart, but neither actress is helped by the absolute lack of a clear screenplay. The sonic boom of the Runaways’ break-up, which ought to be some sort of climactic moment, receives little attention or explanation. In a sad way, it’s the perfect ending for this film. One final note: Many fans might have casually assumed that "I Love Rock n' Roll" is a Joan Jett song. The film tacitly lends to that belief. But it's far from the truth. The original was recorded in 1975 by the Arrows. Hers is a better version, and one of the indispensable classics, but Jett sure didn't write the song. Another story The Runaways doesn't get right.

Comments

[jettsett53]

I disagree with you on every front. All of the best critics, which clearly you are not, are giving Kristen Stewart and Dakota fanning raves, especially Ms. Stewart. I am not a Twilight fan, but I'm a Joan Jett fan and have been going to her concerts for years. I wasn't excited when I heard the casting, but then I saw the movie. Ms. Stewart was Joan. Very few actors can personify a real person the way that she did. Reece Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jaime Foxx come to mind. She deserves an Oscar nomination for this performance. I wasn't really a Cherie Currie fan, but Dakota did an excellent job of portraying her. Also Michael Shannon should be up their with Kristen for an Oscar nod. From what you wrote, you are claiming to know Joan better than she knows herself. She coached Kristen, was on set everyday, and executive produced the film, and she believes that no one else could have played her better than Kristen. As for the problems with the script it was meant to be that way. Just like the real group, the movies comes on strong and fizzles out. We got great 70's sets, Award-winning performances, and some great music out of this film. It will always be on my top films of 2010 list.

[Get The Big Picture]

The script meant to lie about the identity of band's bass player and that Joan Jett didn't write "I Love Rock N' Roll"? Stewart was good enough when the band was playing, but she mumbles through the rest of the film. That's hardly not giving a damn about her bad reputation. Fanning has more spirit, but less to do. She could've been very good if this movie were well-written.

I'll bet you $37 this gets no award nominations of any kind, except maybe an MTV Movie Award nod for Best Kiss.

[samanthar]

I totally agree jettsett! Kristen FTMFW. I saw this movie at a free screening. Great performances all around. I had no clue who the Runaways were and really wasn't into JJ until I saw this. The movie and the actors rocked.

[MovieMan]

Get ready to be proven wrong.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/08/entertainment/main6376582.shtml

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/08/AR2010040805308.html

Just two of a plethora of reviews praising Kristen. If you're going to bash her acting, try harder next time.

[Get The Big Picture]

And here are six reviews that didn't think she was terribly special, which proves...well, nothing. It's an opinion, MovieMan; hard to "prove" the purely subjective.

http://www.slate.com/id/2248285/

http://blog.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/2010/04/review_--_the_runaways_lacks_f.html

http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/they_re_not_the_supremes_zjosOu60FPqgC4AWtb44pL

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2011381525_mr19runaways.html

http://www.orlandoweekly.com/film/review.asp?rid=14967

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/movies/20100318_runaways.html

[Doug Lynner]

Some of your readers may find my recent radio show, Tribute To The Runaways, an interesting listen. It explores the band's music, solo music and bands that have benefited from their groundbreaking work. It can be streamed for free at http://www.neatnetnoise.com.

Thanks!

[linyanling]

there is an old Michael Kors watches slowly walking in opposite directions through those past memories of past digital against a time watch slowly put back the watch