Throw-aways

Based on the true life story of the band of the same name, The Runaways is about the life and times of Joan Jett, Cherie Currie and co and their ascent into the music scene. Billed as “The story of the most influential rock band you never heard of” its gritty, glossy, glittery and grungy all rolled into one.


It’s a great subject matter for a film and I’m surprised its taken this long for a movie about The Runaways to come out. They did after all help blaze the trail for females in alternative music. The story of five very (and I mean 15 here) young girls getting manufactured into a sex driven, jail bait rock band set up is a truly interesting one. Their descent into a life of drink and drugs at such a young age is compelling viewing. Girls trying to find themselves among the wreckage of a seedy bar floor.

Overall it’s a decent watch but once you’ve seen one of these types of films you’ve seen em all. Kristen “why do I have to be here?” Stewart plays Jett pretty well, although it was more of a haircut than an acting performance. The same could be said for Dakota Fanning but she seems to have a bit more of a leading lady foothold playing Currie, a conflicted, 15 year old drug addict. They have some great chemistry together but this film never really lifts off the ground. Fau- seat filling lesbianism aside it starts off with all the promise of a really interesting biopic but loses its footing somewhere round the 50 minute mark, turning into one long music video about the perils of drugs and having a good time.
A good enough film but take away the music and it just feels like your watching a group of young girls playing dress up for 106 minutes. Sparkly and seedy but not very original.

xxx