The Runaways (2010)

I was reading someone else's review of this film, and he asked the question in my summary heading. The answer to that is simply. Joan Jett was the executive producer and Cherie Curries book was the basis of the story. Lita Ford was written off as a villain, and Jackie Fox was background scenery. Had this film been made today, I don't think Jackie's story would have been left out. Ironically Jackie went on to become a graduate of Harvard Law School and came out with her story of being raped by Fowley. Micki Steele's involvement would have been interesting as well. What a shame. I'll look forward to a real documentary about this band in the future that tells the complete story of everyone, and isn't transformed into the Joan Jett show. I would expect this from Gene Simmons. I gave this an 8 because at least two members got to tell their story, and problems associated with this band's startup. Also it shows what a jerk Kim was to the human race.

Released in 2010, "The Runaways" chronicles the quick rise and fall of all-girl rock band The Runaways who released four albums from 1976-1978. I mean "girl" literally since they WERE girls at the time; for instance, when the band was formed in late 1975 singer Cherie Currie just turned 16 years-old. The movie is lightly based on Currie's book Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway and therefore focuses on the friendship of Cherie (Dakota Fanning) and Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) and their relationship with their eccentric manager Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon). Riley Keough plays Cherie's "better looking" sister while Scout Taylor-Compton and Stella Maeve play band members Lita Ford and Sandy West.The Runaways had some brief success in the late 70s, but they quickly nosedived because they were teenagers and simply couldn't handle the pressures and temptations of the 70's rock 'n' roll lifestyle, particularly Cherie. The movie successfully illustrates this. Of course "Cherry Bomb" was a fairly well known song but, beyond this, they just weren't that popular. They were a here-today-gone-tomorrow act; a minor blip in rock history. You could say they were a good "farm band" for the more popular Joan Jett and Lita Ford. Speaking of the latter, Scout Taylor-Compton looks uncannily like her, but the character is given short shrift in favor of Jett and Currie. While this is understandable given that the movie was based on Currie's book and the short 96-minute runtime, there's no excuse for ignoring Lita at the end when the movie cites what the characters went on to accomplish. Since Ford was the second most successful Runaway in the music business, second only to Jett, this is inexcusable.Despite this grave transgression, the movie works because of the great performances of the principle actors. Shannon is particularly effective as the freakish Fowley (who passed away in 2015 at the age of 75). Unfortunately, with a movie that's only an hour and a half long they can only tell so much of the story. Currie described the real story as epic and that the movie is just a "lighter kind of flash" of what The Runaways were for two and a half years. Being a 70's rock biopic of teenage girls you can expect the sex & drugs elements with profanity, crudeness and a dismal pall. Like 1991's "The Doors," the movie doesn't show much of the fun side of rock 'n' roll.If you can look beyond the vulgarity and ugliness, however, the movie has (some) heart. For instance, the genuine friendship of Jett and Currie, which can be observed in the phone call at the end; and the loving relationship of Cherie and her sister Marie. The sisters went on to record a couple albums together – 1978's BEAUTY'S ONLY SKIN DEEP and 1980's MESSIN' WITH THE BOYS – but their music career failed to go further due to Cherie's problems with drug dependency.I liked this movie better the second time I watched it. It's too crude and dreary for my tastes and it lags here and there, but it makes up for it with effective performances and the warm relationships noted above. Plus it has a rockin' soundtrack. If you watch recent interviews, you'll observe that Lita and Cherie grew up to be palpably honorable, beautiful women. Joan's cool too, of course; she's just not my cup of java, although I like some of her songs. The film was shot in the Los Angeles area.GRADE: B- (6.5/10)

"The Runaways" is an amazing slice of the 1970s and depicts the unexpected rise of an all- girl rock and roll band. This was in a time when women weren't really considered or allowed to be rockers.The main three actors: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, and Michael Shannon are each excellent in their portrayals as Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, and Kim Fowley. Stewart encapsulates the tension, edge, and desperation that was a teenage Jett during the time she was frantically trying to make her career happen. Jett lives for the music, whereas Currie did not and that came across beautifully. Shannon acted as the eccentric and off-the-wall, and often vulgar legendary record producer to a tee. Stewart and Fanning have that electric and elusive "chemistry" that Hollywood always seeks for. Their relationship in the film is poignant, and well past believable. The roller rink kissing scene, in particular, where they shotgun a joint is thick with sexual tension. The casting director got this one right.The supporting cast: Tatum O'Neal, Scout Taylor-Compton, and Riley Keough to name a few were each outstanding in their small roles as family members and for Taylor-Compton portraying metal legend Lita Ford.However, the music is naturally the driving force behind this film. Stewart, Fanning, and Co. all sang and played very well and very accurately. The "Cherry Bomb" performance is on point and Stewart's roller rink performance of "I Love Playin' With Fire" is the epitome of Joan Jett. The "Dead End Justice" performance is equally well done. No bones about it. The rest of the soundtrack is great. Suzie Quatro's "The Wild One," Bowie's "Rebel Rebel," Nick Gilder's "Roxy Roller," and The Stooge's "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "Gimme Danger" are all excellently placed and suit the scene very well. The inclusion of Jett's post-Runaways songs, "I Want You," and "Crimson & Clover" and "I Love Rock N Roll" are great too.

I loved this movie, it made me feel like I was there in the 70's. I knew about the runaways and Cherie's book but I knew the most about Joan Jett and I couldn't think of a better Joan than Kristen Stewart she is a bad ass just like Joan. In Cherie's book she comes off as innocent at first than she gets raped and then everything changes. The movie was different and I'm glad I couldn't imagine the movie showing all the graphic things that happened to Cherie. The movie was already rated R so showing the things described in the book wouldn't be good. The movie is captivating from the beginning when the blood hits the pavement until the end when the credits roll. Even with all my knowledge of the band the movie made me feel like I know them and I was there going through all the emotions with them. The movie was perfectly cast and executed my only complaint is that it wasn't longer I wanted to spend more time in this world with these people. Defiantly one of my favorite movies!