The Runaways [2010]

I don’t know about you, but I’m a sucker for everything related to the 70’s, let alone Rock’ n’ Roll music. The movie, directed by Floria Sigismondi and based on the autobiography “Neon Angel”, chronicles the rise and inevitable fall of the all girl band The Runaways. Kirsten Stewart plays Joan Jett, a 17 year old girl whose rock and roll aspirations see her paired with 15 year old Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning all grown up). The two are brought together by crazed musical manager Kim Fowley (a terrific Michael Shannon) whose tactics for pushing the girls to their limits include screaming “Men don’t like to see women anywhere but in their kitchens or on their knees – let alone on stage with guitars. Now, buckle up and get ready for bootcamp, babies – you’re gonna be trained like the Viet f**king Cong”. Gotta love this guy. But with success comes the classic symptoms of  fame including sex, drugs and booze. Not to mention tension between band mates as Cherie’s star status rises higher than her cohort’s. The more famous she becomes, the more she is tortured by everyone around her, especially her sister Mary (Riley Keough), who takes care of their alcoholic father.

 For once, Kirsten Stewart does a good job, portraying Joan Jett with her dark jet black hair, edgy style, and passion for rock music. Dakota Fanning is equally good as Cherie Currie, the innocent high school girl turned blonde rock star. The soundtrack features many Runaways songs such as “Queens Of Noise”, and their signature hit “Cherry Bomb”. Rock’n’Roll fans should be more than pleased with what the movie has to offer. And eventhough the genre might seem tired by now, “The Runaways” still feels genuine and fresh. It’s a movie that deserves a lot of attention in my opinion, and it shoudn’t be missed.

Rating: 3/4