DeniReview: The Runaways - Dakota Fanning
June 11th 2010 17:23
Category: Drama
Rating: *** (3) out of 5 stars (3/5)
Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll - it's the same story told over and
over again but what makes or break the tale of the cliched life of a rock star(s) is the substance and unfortunately this movie just doesn't have enough meat and potatoes of a good rock biography, however instead of giving it 2 stars, I gave it a 3 because of the performance by Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie.
The Runaways is more her story, based on her novel, "Neon Angel". The opening scene of the film pretty much says it all - even if the rest of the movie doesn't or does - vaguely. It's a movie where the tale is in the sub-text and keeping that in mind, it's just okay.
It opens with spatters of blood hitting the pavement and the
camera cuts to the source - Currie wearing a mini-skirt has just gotten a visit from, er...Aunt Flo and her twin sister, Marie (Riley Keough) rushes her across the street to the bathroom at the Pup N Fries to complete her toilette - men beware! Her home-life is unstable. Her father is an alcoholic and her mother, a former actress played by Tatum O'Neal has announced that she's moving to Indonesia with her current beau, leaving her and her sister, both 15 years old to fend for themselves. With no stability or adult supervision it's not hard to figure out where she's headed when the wrong opportunity presents itself.
Meanwhile Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) has rock and roll in her blood and she's anxious to make it all happen - so
anxious that she's too impatient to sit through beginner guitar lessons - she's ready to cut straight to the riffs! She doesn't have to wait too long when she, by chance, spots rock producer Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) outside a nightclub. Not quite sold on a female punk band but always looking for the next big thing, he gives Joan a chance and teams her up with Sandy West (Stella Maeve) and Lita Ford (Scout Taylor-Compton) initially, however there's something missing. They need a lead who's preferably blonde and embodies pre-pubescent sex appeal and that's when they come across Cherie Currie and the rest is rock 'n' roll history.
The Runaways is like a puzzle with too many significant pieces missing. While you're so focused on the music you suddenly realize that that is what compensates for a mediocre script. One of the substantial elements missing is the back story of Joan Jett. We don't see any hints behind what drives her - she's a complete mystery, who just appears as Joan Jett and when the movie ends, she's still Joan Jett. Kristen Stewart does a fantastic job channeling her, she's the spitting image of Joan and she performs her mannerisms and sneers to glowing perfection however, we're left wondering where it all came from and why?
Dakota Fanning must have been born with a script in her hand, ready to cry on queue entering this world. I have not
seen her turn a bad performance yet and she just gets more amazing as she grows older. She's awesome as Cherie Currie, a wild child plucked from obscurity and unceremoniously dropped in the role of front-woman. She's clearly unprepared and too immature and fragile to handle the lead and the excesses of sex and drugs that goes with it. The movie is basically her long descent towards a breakdown, spurred on by the inability to live up to her reputation as the edgy, sexy vixen and her need for love and stability, neither of which she finds in her own family nor with her newfound rock and roll family, who eventually reject her.
Michael Shannon is exceptional as Kim Fowley, the lecherous rock promoter who prowls for young talent of the jail bait variety and promotes the act as rebellious and tough - something that would appeal to the masses who were already initiated into the anti-establishment of the Punk movement.
The movie was written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, her first feature. It's a noble effort, she does a pretty good job capturing the atmosphere of the 70's and the punk scene however the movie just has too many air pockets. While it was good on one level, it just left me feeling unsatisfied. I felt blind-sided by the musical performances which were impressive but when the music ended, I realized Ms. Sigismondi tricked me into believing there was more to the story.
Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll - it's the same story told over and
The Runaways is more her story, based on her novel, "Neon Angel". The opening scene of the film pretty much says it all - even if the rest of the movie doesn't or does - vaguely. It's a movie where the tale is in the sub-text and keeping that in mind, it's just okay.
It opens with spatters of blood hitting the pavement and the
Meanwhile Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) has rock and roll in her blood and she's anxious to make it all happen - so
The Runaways is like a puzzle with too many significant pieces missing. While you're so focused on the music you suddenly realize that that is what compensates for a mediocre script. One of the substantial elements missing is the back story of Joan Jett. We don't see any hints behind what drives her - she's a complete mystery, who just appears as Joan Jett and when the movie ends, she's still Joan Jett. Kristen Stewart does a fantastic job channeling her, she's the spitting image of Joan and she performs her mannerisms and sneers to glowing perfection however, we're left wondering where it all came from and why?
Dakota Fanning must have been born with a script in her hand, ready to cry on queue entering this world. I have not
Michael Shannon is exceptional as Kim Fowley, the lecherous rock promoter who prowls for young talent of the jail bait variety and promotes the act as rebellious and tough - something that would appeal to the masses who were already initiated into the anti-establishment of the Punk movement.
The movie was written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, her first feature. It's a noble effort, she does a pretty good job capturing the atmosphere of the 70's and the punk scene however the movie just has too many air pockets. While it was good on one level, it just left me feeling unsatisfied. I felt blind-sided by the musical performances which were impressive but when the music ended, I realized Ms. Sigismondi tricked me into believing there was more to the story.
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