Yeong Kar YanJoan Jett (Kristen Stewart) has big dreams. She wants to form an all-girl rock band but it’s 1975 in Los Angeles, California. And as the MC5 song goes in the movie, ‘It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World’ in the rock music industry.
Yet, Jett’s seemingly impossible wish comes true when she bumps into Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), record producer, at English Disco, a famous club in LA.
She then forms The Runaways with Sandy West (Stella Maeve), Lita Ford (Scout Taylor-Compton) and Robin (Alia Shawkat). But not before Fowley finds the band their winning formula in the form of Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning), the band’s blonde bombshell or as he puts it, their “Jail-f**king-bait!”
So thanks to their mentor, The Runaways creates history of legendary proportions by becoming America’s first all-girl teenage rock band.
Often slathered in thick make up and swearing furiously every time he opens his mouth, Fowley is a terror to behold. He is creepy yet fascinating to watch, nutcase yet genius all in one.
He preps the girls for the men’s world of rock, and in a memorable scene, the sadistic manager had boys throwing rubbish, dirt and shit at them during singing rehearsals.
Fowley: “Okay, filthy p*ssies, today we have Heckler’s Drill. These degenerates here are not your fans. They’re not here to tell you how pretty you look, they don’t want your f***ing autographs. They want to hurt you. They want you to retreat. Do NOT.”
We see his unusual military boot camp training pay off later on. During a gig at a keg party, a wasted woman flings a glass bottle at Joan who, with style and attitude, swings the guitar like a bat and bashes the bottle right back in her face. Touche!
What helps it along is it’s written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, whose portrayal of Rock N’ Roll in the 70s is realistic and believable. More than that, she creates a timeless story which goes beyond the sex, drugs and booze to tell a tale of empowerment about 2 girls knowing how to listen to their hearts and follow their dreams.
The film’s attention to detail should be applauded as well, and kudos should be given to the actresses for the effort they put into emulating their well known characters.
Stewart chopped off her long locks for a mullet in this movie and put her brooding good looks to use as Joan Jett, who has been described as “the band’s pure rock’ n’ roll heart”. To look the part, she also mastered a total of 12 songs on guitar and perfected her lip-syncing “to mirror Joan’s when singing the songs”.
Fanning, who already has a lot attention and accolades under her young belt, plays a much more challenging role as she transitions from a innocent Valley girl, who excitedly enters the world of Rock N’ Roll not knowing what she’s signed up for, to a confused sex kitten. Thrown into the media spotlight at too young an age (something Fanning herself is well aware of), Currie finds herself spiraling into drug addiction and losing control of her life. At the end of the movie, she longs for her old life back. An additional cause of conflict comes when The Runaways feel Cherie is getting too much media publicity at the expense of the band.
Fans of the band will also look forward to the recreation of the band’s iconic live performance of “Cherry Bomb” in Japan.
Wearing the same costume as Cherie did in Japan, Fanning looks jawdroppingly dangerous as she struts around in a pink corset, fishnet tights and garters while swinging and twirling the mic like she owns the world.
Both the movie and soundtrack feature the stars singing for real. Fanning performs solo on “Cherry Bomb” and “California Paradise” and then pairs up with Stewart in “Queens of Noise” and “Dead End Justice”.
Their singing is pretty impressive as well, especially for Fanning who had no prior experience in doing it professionally. To her credit, if one doesn’t pay very close attention, it’s easy to mistake her covers for the real thing. However, it seems like she’s trying a little too hard in “Cherry Bomb,” turning words like fool to “foo-uh” and school to “scho-uh.”
With everything you can ask for in a biopic, sex, drugs, and booze, The Runaways hits all the right notes. If you’re a great fan of The Runaways or Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, don’t miss this music-fuelled coming-of-age story.
Title: The Runaways
Opens: May 6
Duration: 109 Minutes
Language: English
Rating: ★★★★☆
Genre: Drama, Music, Biography
Director: Floria Sigismondi
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon