Director: Floria Sigismondi
Writer: Floria Sigismondi, Cherie Currie
Producers: Art Linson, John Linson, William Pohlad
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Scout Taylor-Compton, Alia Shawkat, Tatum O’Neal
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 109 min.

(3/5)

It’s hard to believe that both Lita Ford and Joan Jett got their start in the same band and if you’re looking for an inside story on how they went from all girl group to kick-ass rockers, you may be disappointed in what The Runaways has to offer for you see, this isn’t so much the story of the band as it is the story of two of the girls in the band and their relationship not just with each other but with sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Based on the memoir of Cherie Currie, The Runaways begins just before the band is formed. We meet Currie, a girl with attitude who recently won a talent competition lip singing to David Bowie. Then there’s Joan Jett, a guitar player who has the aspirations and talent to be more than a groupie. She hooks up with producer Kim Fowley and as the film goes, with his hard as nails attitude and a bit of hard work, the girls become the first all female rock group to get signed and cut an album.

It’s never an easy task to cram years worth of material into a film and Floria Sigismondi isn’t entirely successful in setting up the time-line of this story which is loaded with awkward time shifts and relationships which seem to spring out of no where but with the help of good lead performances, The Runaways manages to be more than lip gloss and sweets. Sigismondi and leads Kristen Stewart as Jett and Dakota Fanning as Currie manage to carry this through what seems to be an endless barrage of practice sessions and performances laced with drugs, booze and attitude. Thankfully, the film manages to keep some of the story’s punk roots and there’s little in the way of sugar coating: these ladies don’t play by the rules and they don’t always play nice.

Stewart and Fanning are both excellent though Fanning is the central character in this story. Gone (successfully this time) is the little girl we remember from her early roles and in her stead is a young actress with much talent and fierceness. This role is an indication of the Fanning who may well grow up to be the next Jodie Foster. Stewart is also good but it sometimes comes across as a rehash of her previous roles and though she makes her awkwardness (from interviews it appears that it’s not all put-on) work to her character’s advantage. It seems that in this real life story, Fowley was usually at the centre of attention (or at least trying to be) so it’s not much of a stretch to expect the film version of Fowley to be memorable and as per usual, Michael Shannon doesn’t disappoint taking Fowley’s over-the-top-in-your-face irreverent persona to heights only an actor of his calibre can muster while still being “in character.” Shannon is a genius as is his casting here and his performance steals the show (this is turning into a Shannon norm).

The Runaways seems to play wild and carefree with timelines and perhaps a few of the facts but then, this isn’t a documentary and when all is said and done, Sigismondi nails home what she set out to do: tell the story of the two girls at the centre of The Runaways. The film isn’t as groundbreaking as the music was but it does manage to be as entertaining and occasionally, as artful as the music.