Its nice to see a rock and roll chick trash a hotel room for a change.
The Runaways
starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Stella Maeve, Scout Taylor-Compton, Alia Shawkat
directed by Floria Sigismondi
There’s only two reasons to see this film; that is, unless you are a huge fan of The Runaways and/or Joan Jett. But in that case, you really don’t need a reason, do you? For everyone else, its an opportunity to see Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning do something, for the lack of a better word, different. Kristen Stewart has been stuck in Twilght town for too long and it is questionable if she can really act. When I think of Dakota Fanning, I think of a young and talented but constantly screaming little girl from War of the Worlds. Will this flick give them a chance to prove otherwise?
The Runaways is a rock and roll bio-pic about the ground breaking band The Runaways. Lead by Joan Jett (Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Fanning), the band breaks out in 1975 in Los Angeles and changes the view of women in music. Until that time, for the most part, women only sang country, folk, or something slightly calmer than rock and roll. The Runaways are the first all girl rock band to make it, and they make it big. But as with most rock fame stories, sex and drugs cause their share of problems with the group; not to mention all of the girls are in their teens. In fact, lead singer Cherie Currie is fifteen when she joins the group. The band falls apart quickly, and the women have a hard time filling the hole that is leaves in their hearts.
If you doubt Kristen Stewart has one true acting bone in her body, this movie is proof that she does. Kristen Stewart absolutely nailed the mannerisms and voice of Joan Jett. She even cut off her hair into a nappy bob to fit the part. I liken it to seeing Natalie Portman in Closer; after all the crappy roles and acting, BAM, there it is. This girl is talented, after all. Bravo. As for Dakota Fanning; I always thought see was talented, I was just unsure if she could play anything slightly adult and make it work. And she more than achieves it here as Cherie Currie. Look up her tracks from the soundtrack; the girl can belt out a rock tune, and her acting ability hasn’t faded whatsoever. Though I’m not yet comfortable watching the fifteen year old Fanning pelvic thrust in a corset (yep, it happens), her performance is something she can be proud of. And of course there’s the comic relief of Michael Shannon as the band’s creator and promoter Kim Fowley. He’s foul mouthed and coarse, and it keeps an otherwise edgy movie a bit humorous.
What this film does right is all in the look and feel. It is gritty and grungy; it takes the rock scene of the 1970’s and brings into to life in all of its infamy. The drugs and sex are prevalent, but not over powering. Director Sigismondi doesn’t waste much time before flying head first into the music; and once it starts, its like the flood gates are opened. The film moves from one practice session to another, and from one rocking set to the next. The number one goal of this film is to have the music of The Runaways in your face from the get go, and it totally and completely kicks-ass.
What it gets wrong is the story. Sure, its accurate; the movie gives us a great picture of two years of the girls’ lives on the road and struggling with stardom. But it lacks detail. Not much is said about Jett’s background; and what is given of Currie’s background is almost unrelated to the plot line. There is a hint of some kind of special relationship between Currie and Jett, but no reason is ever given. If they grew to be close friends, the scenes showing this never made it in the final cut of the film. Even the reasons for the band’s eventual break up are not really fleshed out. To put it in one word, I’d call the entire movie vague. Hopelessly and traumatically vague.
Its unfortunate that a film’s best quality is its ultimate downfall. The filmmakers put so much effort into making it constantly rock, that they somehow forgot to put in the all important behind the music bits that made the music rock in the first place. But make no mistake; this is one of the better bio-pics I’ve seen since Ray and Walk The Line. Good music and great acting make for a great film, if it is a bit short on the details. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it made me want to dig in used CD bins to find some of The Runaways’ music. And if a flick can do that, it can justify marking a win in my book.
I’m Your C-C-C-Cherry Bomb!
Its nice to see a rock and roll chick trash a hotel room for a change.
The Runaways
starring Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Stella Maeve, Scout Taylor-Compton, Alia Shawkat
directed by Floria Sigismondi
There’s only two reasons to see this film; that is, unless you are a huge fan of The Runaways and/or Joan Jett. But in that case, you really don’t need a reason, do you? For everyone else, its an opportunity to see Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning do something, for the lack of a better word, different. Kristen Stewart has been stuck in Twilght town for too long and it is questionable if she can really act. When I think of Dakota Fanning, I think of a young and talented but constantly screaming little girl from War of the Worlds. Will this flick give them a chance to prove otherwise?
The Runaways is a rock and roll bio-pic about the ground breaking band The Runaways. Lead by Joan Jett (Stewart) and Cherie Currie (Fanning), the band breaks out in 1975 in Los Angeles and changes the view of women in music. Until that time, for the most part, women only sang country, folk, or something slightly calmer than rock and roll. The Runaways are the first all girl rock band to make it, and they make it big. But as with most rock fame stories, sex and drugs cause their share of problems with the group; not to mention all of the girls are in their teens. In fact, lead singer Cherie Currie is fifteen when she joins the group. The band falls apart quickly, and the women have a hard time filling the hole that is leaves in their hearts.
If you doubt Kristen Stewart has one true acting bone in her body, this movie is proof that she does. Kristen Stewart absolutely nailed the mannerisms and voice of Joan Jett. She even cut off her hair into a nappy bob to fit the part. I liken it to seeing Natalie Portman in Closer; after all the crappy roles and acting, BAM, there it is. This girl is talented, after all. Bravo. As for Dakota Fanning; I always thought see was talented, I was just unsure if she could play anything slightly adult and make it work. And she more than achieves it here as Cherie Currie. Look up her tracks from the soundtrack; the girl can belt out a rock tune, and her acting ability hasn’t faded whatsoever. Though I’m not yet comfortable watching the fifteen year old Fanning pelvic thrust in a corset (yep, it happens), her performance is something she can be proud of. And of course there’s the comic relief of Michael Shannon as the band’s creator and promoter Kim Fowley. He’s foul mouthed and coarse, and it keeps an otherwise edgy movie a bit humorous.
What this film does right is all in the look and feel. It is gritty and grungy; it takes the rock scene of the 1970’s and brings into to life in all of its infamy. The drugs and sex are prevalent, but not over powering. Director Sigismondi doesn’t waste much time before flying head first into the music; and once it starts, its like the flood gates are opened. The film moves from one practice session to another, and from one rocking set to the next. The number one goal of this film is to have the music of The Runaways in your face from the get go, and it totally and completely kicks-ass.
What it gets wrong is the story. Sure, its accurate; the movie gives us a great picture of two years of the girls’ lives on the road and struggling with stardom. But it lacks detail. Not much is said about Jett’s background; and what is given of Currie’s background is almost unrelated to the plot line. There is a hint of some kind of special relationship between Currie and Jett, but no reason is ever given. If they grew to be close friends, the scenes showing this never made it in the final cut of the film. Even the reasons for the band’s eventual break up are not really fleshed out. To put it in one word, I’d call the entire movie vague. Hopelessly and traumatically vague.
Its unfortunate that a film’s best quality is its ultimate downfall. The filmmakers put so much effort into making it constantly rock, that they somehow forgot to put in the all important behind the music bits that made the music rock in the first place. But make no mistake; this is one of the better bio-pics I’ve seen since Ray and Walk The Line. Good music and great acting make for a great film, if it is a bit short on the details. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it made me want to dig in used CD bins to find some of The Runaways’ music. And if a flick can do that, it can justify marking a win in my book.