Another 'The Runaways' Movie Review

As it hits this side of the Atlantic this week, The Runaways will find itself on the back foot. Not because this is a terrible film - it definitely isn’t that - but because the audience for a biopic of a 70s band that most people will have to Google is going to be fairly limited. To be fair, The Runaways did feature Joan Jett who went on to achieve fame with “I Love Rock N’ Roll” but still this is the problem with American rock biopics - they’re always about bands you’ve completely forgotten.

The Runaways achieved VERY moderate success in the mid-to-late 70s. They were an all girl group put together by Kim Fowler (Michael Shannon) who was the wrong side of crazy but definitely had an ear for a good song and knew a marketing opportunity when he saw one. This film focuses its attentions on lead singer Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) and her relationship with songwriter and guitarist Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) with the rest of the band acting as wallpaper.

Having picked up Cherie in a nightclub as they searched for a blonde bombshell in the vein of Bridget Bardot, Joan and Kim set about turning Cherie into a rock star. Initially, she’s too timid. Not that I blame her really - I doubt very many people who be happy with their manager paying kids to fling dog turds and bottles at them while they practice. Kim knows what he’s doing, however, and very quickly pushes the right buttons to bring out Cherie’s inner rock chick with the band’s biggest hit “Cherrybomb” and once that happens there’s no stopping her. Despite being all of 16 years old she embarks on a series of sexual liaisons with the band’s roadie and Jett (the rather tame sex scenes between Stewart and Fanning have been sold as one of the film’s main attractions) and begins the drinking and drug-taking that will lead to her inevitable downfall. Meanwhile Jett who indulges in all these things as well but knows a thing or two about moderation is quietly laying the foundations for a solid long term career in music.

Unfortunately for The Runaways, it is hampered by the fact that the story of the band is pretty much the story of every band. They get together, find out that they rock, achieve moderate success whereupon the front man (or woman in this case) starts getting notions about themselves - emboldened of course by copious amounts of white powder - and things start to go pear-shaped. Cliches exist for a reason, I suppose. Still, for the first hour or so as the band get together and Cherie’s ego starts to develop, the Runaways is an exhilarating ride. And the soundtrack is brilliant - almost worth the ticket price alone.

Stewart, doing her best to break free of the yoke of Twilight, is very good. That permanently sullen expression and that she wears is perfect for the cool, rebellious Jett. Indeed, one of the film’s major flaws is that there just isn’t enough of her. Writer-director Floria Sigismondi clearly decided that Cherie’s journey was the more interesting story (to be fair, it is based on Cherie’s memoirs) but Stewart‘s Jett is sidetracked as a result. Fanning is an accomplished actress, of that there is no doubt, and she delivers a mature, measured performance as Cherie presses the self-destruct button. Still, it‘s hard not to feel that this is a little bit too left field for her - I’m not suggesting that she spend the rest of her career playing adorably cute, sweet natured pre-pubescent teens but this is probably a couple of steps too early in the difficult transition from child stardom. Taking on a role that requires her to dabble in drugs and promiscuity with both men and women is a bit too deliberately in your face for my liking. Elsewhere, Shannon gives a suitably manic turn as the flamboyant Kim which makes you wonder how this band every made it in the first place.

It’s a pity really that the story of The Runaways is so conventional because the band itself definitely wasn’t and the film ends up suffering as a result. Still, with an excellent soundtrack and sound performances from the three main players, The Runaways may not be the (cherry) bomb but it’s definitely worth a look.

Stars: ***

Review by Gareth Naughton