Rating: ***
It’s easy to forget while watching her get all damsel in distressy as TWILIGHT heroine Bella Swan, but Kristen Stewart can act. Dakota Fanning, meanwhile, I used to think can act, but it seems like she’s forgotten how somewhere between CHARLOTTE’S WEB and THE TWILIGHT SAGA. Together they’re the vaguely lesbian jail bait – I mean quintessential and groundbreaking founders of the all-girl band The Runaways in the new bio-pic of the same name.
Stewart plays Joan Jett and Fanning plays Cherie Currie, who through an act of fate come together to form their breakthrough act. Currie, a disenfranchised suburban high school student with delusions of David Bowie, finds herself on the radar of famous manager Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) shortly after he’s approached by Jett with an idea for a band that’s made up 100 per cent of musicians of the female persuasion. Contracts are signed, hits are made, and tours in Japan incite riot amongst the local fans. All of which is pretty typical of these sorts of movies.
In case the history escapes you, Currie went into a spiral of booze, drugs and sexual experimentation. You’re supposed to be concerned, but you could honestly care less if Currie flames out or fades away. Fanning doesn’t do much to make Currie likeable, and as a result the character comes off as cold, unlikable and thoroughly unengaging. Stewart is much cooler, probably because we know there’s a brighter future for Jett than Currie. Stewart also doesn’t seem to be drawing attention to herself, and whether that’s due to the nature of the character, or the coolness of the actress’ performance, I don’t know.
Regardless, the real star of the film is Shannon as Fowley. Every minute this guy’s on screen you’re engaged, you’re fascinated and you’re enthralled. Such an absolutely magnetic performance comes dangerously close to outshining the rest of the cast, which is sort of problematic when you consider that the focus of the film is supposed to be the all-girl band he’s representing. I hope that Shannon is remembered at awards’ time, as this is incredibly compelling work.
Also on the plus side is director Floria Sigismondi’s treatment of the time period. Things have a very genuine 70s feel from set design to wardrobe. And it goes without saying that the music’s incredible. I’m not sure if the real life Jett actually heard Stewart’s voice and for a minute thought it was her’s – as reported in a New York Times article – but it’s easy to see, given the way that Stewart seems to channel all aspects of Jett. Indeed, the film is steeped in the rock ‘n’ roll vibe of the period, a throwback to days when becoming a rock star that packs stadiums was still in the realm of possibilities and when people had to buy your music.
Where THE RUNAWAYS slides though is that the band’s story didn’t feel particularly worthy of its own movie, at least the way it was presented. There are a lot of typical band movie clichés including over-indulgence, temper tantrums, fallings out and reconciliations, but overall, aside from the real life aspect of the story, I’m not sure what recommends THE RUNAWAYS over other movies about bands. The film is still compelling though thanks to Michael Shannon and Floria Sigismondi’s team who brought the rockin’ 70s back to life with such wicked clarity. For this, THE RUNAWAYS is perfectly enjoyable so long as you don’t expect anything too deep besides good music.
