Ryan Scott
May 3rd, 2010, 10:53 AM
We had some free movie tickets and went to see The Runaways last night. This is a biopic of sorts about the first all girl rock band, The Runaways, but particularly about two of its members, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. One of the draws for this film is that the two stars are played by two of the more acclaimed young actresses around right now, Kristen Stewart (of Twilight fame) and Dakota Fanning as Jett and Currie.
For those of you familiar with the story or the music involved, it will come as no surprise that the movie is rated R and full of sex, drugs, and profanity. With the actresses being pretty young, there is very little nudity, but, of course, there are other ways to infuse the 70's California rock era into the picture.
The story shows the progression of this band coming together in 1975 under the "direction" of rock producer Kim Fowley (played by Michael Shannon), their early touring, and then quick rise to international stardom and equally quick demise. On the surface a very typical rock and roll storyline. Having it be a true story featuring a pioneering band, helped the drama. Also helpful was the focus on the relationship and contrasts between Jett and Currie, 16 and 15 respectively during this period.
My biggest issue was with the direction. I rail against movies that threat the audience like idiots and explain too much; this movie left too much to our assumptions. There are also a number of shot choices for scenes that leave it really disconnected. Stewart gives a typically intense performance although probably not her best work. Dakota Fanning continues to choose roles that help her transition from child actor to a serious actress. This seems like another step in the process. While she is believable in some scenes, in others she still seems like a little girl.
Some of the tension comes because these girls, in real life, were very young and the movie, being based on a memoir from Currie, probably has a little more insight into the psyche of the characters than we'd normally see in a typical, sex, drugs, rock and roll film.
Ultimately the contrast between Jett, the determined rocker with goals and aspirations and Currie who was sort of a go-with-the-flow, insecure girl definitely stand out. Both were able to kick many of the evils of rock and roll and find some peace for themselves.
I think it's a good movie - they were able to encapsulate much of the youthful, yearning for expression elements of rock music without connecting it necessarily to drugs and sex. Obviously this movie is not for the easily offended, but I appreciated it and will probably see it again when its available for rental. There's something really intriguing about the story that might even lead me to read the book.
One final disclaimer - this really is about The Runaways and not the later success of Joan Jett - if you're showing up looking for the songs you remember from here solo career, they're just not there until the final credits.
For those of you familiar with the story or the music involved, it will come as no surprise that the movie is rated R and full of sex, drugs, and profanity. With the actresses being pretty young, there is very little nudity, but, of course, there are other ways to infuse the 70's California rock era into the picture.
The story shows the progression of this band coming together in 1975 under the "direction" of rock producer Kim Fowley (played by Michael Shannon), their early touring, and then quick rise to international stardom and equally quick demise. On the surface a very typical rock and roll storyline. Having it be a true story featuring a pioneering band, helped the drama. Also helpful was the focus on the relationship and contrasts between Jett and Currie, 16 and 15 respectively during this period.
My biggest issue was with the direction. I rail against movies that threat the audience like idiots and explain too much; this movie left too much to our assumptions. There are also a number of shot choices for scenes that leave it really disconnected. Stewart gives a typically intense performance although probably not her best work. Dakota Fanning continues to choose roles that help her transition from child actor to a serious actress. This seems like another step in the process. While she is believable in some scenes, in others she still seems like a little girl.
Some of the tension comes because these girls, in real life, were very young and the movie, being based on a memoir from Currie, probably has a little more insight into the psyche of the characters than we'd normally see in a typical, sex, drugs, rock and roll film.
Ultimately the contrast between Jett, the determined rocker with goals and aspirations and Currie who was sort of a go-with-the-flow, insecure girl definitely stand out. Both were able to kick many of the evils of rock and roll and find some peace for themselves.
I think it's a good movie - they were able to encapsulate much of the youthful, yearning for expression elements of rock music without connecting it necessarily to drugs and sex. Obviously this movie is not for the easily offended, but I appreciated it and will probably see it again when its available for rental. There's something really intriguing about the story that might even lead me to read the book.
One final disclaimer - this really is about The Runaways and not the later success of Joan Jett - if you're showing up looking for the songs you remember from here solo career, they're just not there until the final credits.