THE RUNAWAYS

A couple weeks ago, I got to catch the long-awaited (for me, anyway) biopic on The Runaways, the seminal female punk band who knocked over some very big doors in the late Seventies to little or no acclaim or wealth during their time.

The band, which consisted of Cherie Currie on vocals, Joan Jett and Lita Ford on guitars, Jackie Fox on bass and Sandy West on drums. All the members were in their mid to late teens in 1975 when they were assembled by Kim Fowley, one of rock music's most colorful and bizarre songwriter/producer/mogul types. None of these girls had ever played music for very long, and the movie shows the struggles they faced writing songs, performing them, and getting any interest or respect from their peers.

The Runaways recorded several albums and toured The U.S. and Japan for several years, with just minor success along the way, but nothing to cement their status enough to insure a very bright future. On top of that, the movie shows that they were not managed very well by Fowley, who was extremely abusive and manipulative towards them, and because of their youth and lack of experience, the girls were not emotionally prepared for the lifestyle that comes with being in a rock and roll band.

The movie marks the writing and feature film debut of Floria Sigismondi, who has directed some remarkable videos for the likes of Marilyn Manson and The Cure. The visuals are stunning at times and there was an intangible Seventies feel captured in this movie. I also greatly enjoyed the placement of the music, particularly The Stooges "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and David Bowie's "Lady Grinning Soul".

My regret is that the script, Sigismondi's first, is just not that great. The lines are rather pedestrian, as is the pacing of the events. I also was unhappy with its portrayal of Cherie Currie, whose biography the script was derived from. Although Dakota Fanning did a fine job in her acting, Cherie's character just comes off as rather emotionless and dull. Kristen Stewart did slightly better as Joan Jett, surprising when you consider that Stewart has based an entire career on playing dull and flat characters. The real star of this film is Michael Shannon as Fowley. He is psychotic, flamboyant and every bit as manic as I imagined the real man to be, and I actually regret this movie was not about his life instead.

I won't place The Runaways up there with the truly inspirational Music Biopics like Walk The Line or The Buddy Holly Story. Hell, I didn't even think it was as good as Ray or The Doors, unfortunately. It won't leave you with any newfound appreciation for the band members and their struggles, but if you want to feel like you are back in the late 70s for an hour and a half but can't stomach the thought of watching KISS Meets The Phantom for the 132nd time, give this one a try.





PS. This movie did reaffirm my appreciation for Suzi Quatro. She was a real badass and WAY ahead of her time.