The Runaways Review: Fanning and Stewart Rock

The Runaways was not a disappointment. It was a well filmed, well acted, and well-scripted movie that really surprised me because I wasn’t expecting to get lost in the seventies when I came into the theater. As much as I love Kristen Stewart, I’d began to feel that she brought too much of herself into her roles. In this film though, she brought just the right amount the make the performance gritty, edgy, and determined. She was Joan Jett with a Kristen Stewart spin.

The movie stars Stewart as Joan Jett and her Twilight Saga: New Moon co-star Dakota Fanning as Cherie Curie. Audiences get a glimpse into what life was like for the two Los Angeles teenagers in the 1970’s and the founding of their all girls rock band The Runaways. We see what family life was like for Curie especially who was only fifteen when she joined. The film chronicles the rise of the group to their fall with a lot of drugs and alcohol in between. Also starring Stella Maeve as drummer Sandy West, Scout Taylor-Compton as lead guitarist Lita Ford, Alia Shawkat (of Arrested Development) as bassist Robin, Michael Shannon as Kim Fowley, the band’s manager and producer, and Riley Keough (daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter of Elvis Presley) as Marie, Cherie’s sister.

I really enjoyed the performances given by the actors especially Fanning’s portrayal of Curie, which at times were frighteningly real. As the young lead vocalist further descends into the world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, Fanning plays a believable fifteen year old who is angry and rebellious. Director Floria Sigismondi captured an intensely intimate scene between Curie and Jett that’s generated lot of buzz on the Internet for good reason too. Stewart and Fanning sizzled with their on screen chemistry that was incredibly surprising even to me. I had been worried that Stewart would bring too much of Bella Swann into this role, but nothing could be more different in a great way. She became Joan Jett. This film is also a great transitional vehicle for Fanning to play more adult roles and out of her child actor mold.

I’d recommend this movie to anyone looking to see a great making the band biopic. The actors gave solid performances and even sounded great singing some of the most well known songs by The Runaways. Michael Shannon’s Kim Fowley was awesomely twisted in representing some of the more negative aspects of the music industry. It’s also a great look at what the rock and roll scene was like back in the seventies dominated by men and the lack of female groups.