Review: The Runaways

4.0

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Standout performances from Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart in a 70’s expose of rock and roll history - read triplew.me's review of The Runaways.

It’s 1975. Bowie’s psychedelic alter-ego, Ziggy Stardust, inspired men to wear make-up in the street, roller disco was the hip thing of a weekend and textile companies worldwide were reaping the benefits of flared bell-bottoms and massive collars. This is the setting for a truly great rock and roll story.

The all-girl rock band The Runaways was formed by Joan Jett (magnificently portrayed by Kristen Stewart of “Twilight” fame) who at 15 years of age, was a leather jacket-clad “tough” girl desperate to rock-out despite being told girls didn’t play electric guitar. Under the somewhat questionable instruction of the clearly mentally deranged producer Kim Fowley (played with aplomb by Michael Shannon) the “next big thing” was born.

Based on the real life memoir “Neon Angel” by the band’s lead singer Cherie Currie (a more than convincing Dakota Fanning), the film tells of the rise and fall of the band and the phoenix-like ascension of rock and roll queen, Joan Jett, from the ashes of band annihilation due to uncontrolled excesses of the rock and roll limelight.

It’s a gritty, poignant, at times beautiful portrayal of hall-of-fame rock lineage, feminist empowerment in conflict with exploitation of women’s sexuality, falling off the rails and losing sight of the things that count.

This film pushes many overdrive channels. A source of much discussion in the triplew.me office, we suspect the cutting room floor may need a good sweep after the censor’s do their thing in the lead-up to cinema screenings in the region. Safe to say the rock and roll music will remain intact…hope they crank the cinema volume to LOUD!

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

Editor review

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