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SUNDANCE 2010

Brandon's Sundance Review: Floria Sigismondi's Runaways

by Brandon Lee Tenney
January 29, 2010

If ever there was film that was a perfect fit for this year's Sundance, it's The Runaways. This fest is all about rebellion, and not many people embody rebellion more than Joan Jett and The Runaways. Focusing on Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, over-sexualized teenage girls living the wild, reckless lifestyle of rock 'n' roll super stars, the film chronicles the band's conception, its rise to stardom, and its fall. Under the abusive management of Kim Fowley (played by Michael Shannon), the girls struggle with their budding sexuality, drugs, and the pressures of being stars.

What's most disappointing about the film is that there are a few truly great performances that get swallowed by the meandering, boring, slapdash story. Kristen Stewart captures the intensity, angst, and presence of Joan Jett. Michael Shannon owns the wild role of Fowley. And Dakota Fanning continues to be incredible in anything that can be projected on screen. Just as Cherie Currie was sexualized while a teenager in the seventies, the filmmakers and Fanning challenge the audience not to become ephebophiliacs. The film often wins.

Despite its performances, however, The Runaways is just mind-numbing. The first thirty minutes have real attitude, teeth, claws, and bras, but it quickly slows to a crawl. For the remaining hour and a half, it meanders through different points in The Runaways's history, compressing the events, rushing their outcomes, and destroying all context. It feels heartless. Soulless. It's an R-rated film without a distinct audience. More so, it's just a poorly constructed, shoddily-directed, uninteresting biopic.

Brandon's Sundance Rating: 5 out of 10

Filed under Review, Sundance 10

From around the web:

Frightened Inmate #2

I wanna see it no matter the praise or how bad it gets bashed.
nelson

all i hear is how good Stewart is in this that is a good sign
Scott McHenry

Dear Dakota Fanning, I want to get to know you someday. Thank you.
Mack

For the record, the movie is not a biopic. Cherie, Joan and even Kristen are fairly vocal about it. Other than that, this film still very much has my interest.
Voice of Reason

Yes! Harnessed, properly descript, more fluent and direct. Analytical, reflective and approaching viewers. Still chummy, loose and jagged but less rambly, more coherent and thought out. YES. Quality review. Into it.
Xerxex

I'll see it anyway.
Conrad

usually I don't like reading Brandon's reviews, but I wanted to see what FS.net had to say about "The Runaways". Short and sweet review. Probably accurate.
http://mario.oyunyolu.net/ Mario Oyunlari

@Voice of Reason its really really quality review