The Runaways

Dakota Fanning is officially a woman. It seemed to happen almost overnight, didn't it? For years, Fanning was the precocious child star, always wise beyond her years. Then she came back in "New Moon" as a teenager. But compared to her role in The Runaways, playing the evil Jane in the Twilight saga was just child's play.

For The Runaways, Fanning is looking to say "I'm woman, hear me roar." But other than her work in the film, almost everything else is a mess. Produced by Joan Jett, a founding member of the all girl band in the second half of 1970s, the film offers a selected recounting of the group's history. Having Jett serve as a creative force as well as being the basis of the main character, she ensures that only the details she wants are included.

The story that Jett decides to tell is the whirlwind infatuation between herself and the band's lead singer, Cherie Currie. The ambiguous sexuality of the pair is played up as Currie juggles a growing attraction between herself and Jett, as well as dating the band's tour manager. What Jett doesn't talk about are the other members of the band. Lita Ford and Robyn, a composite of the girls who made pit stops to play bass for the group, are little more than background extras. Even Runaways founder, Sandy West, is barely a supporting character.

The ironic part of the film is that it's directed and written by Floria Sigismondi, who has directed music videos for Marilyn Manson, The Cure, David Bowie, Bjork, and The White Stripes. Despite working with such heavy hitters in rock, Sigismondi gives the old music adage of sex, drugs and rock n roll the Disney treatment. There is plenty of each of these, but they're so sanitized that it doesn't feel real.

What makes the film inauthentic is how Sigismondi and Jett play fast and loose with the timeline. What occurred over a span of years in actuality appears to be just a few short months. Before ever going to a recording studio, the band has already gone on an international tour [to Japan] and has a hit single. When they do finally hit the studio, Currie is ready to bail on the band.

Ironically, Kristen Stewart is well cast as Jett because she finally has a reason to exude teen angst and sulk around. The only problem is that she doesn't quite know when to flip this switch, so that in the quieter moments of the film she just comes off as cold. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Fanning who outshines everyone whenever she comes onscreen. Fanning does well slipping into the sex kitten role, but more times than not the actresses look like little girls playing dress up.

As the girls' manager Kim Fowley, Michael Shannon relishes the role as he gets to be as foul, perverted and un-PC as he wants. Fowley seems more concerned with the image of the girls than making good music. The rock star boot camp scenes with him are some of the most entertaining, especially when he hires a couple of boys to come to their practice trailer and throw debris and feces at the girls while they're attempting to practice.

The Runaways seems to be put together about as haphazardly as the manufactured group came to be in real life. This time around they should have known better. Ultimately the film fails for the same reason that the band did: too many egos. Unless you are a big fan of Jett or The Runaways, you'd be smart to run away from this film.

Watch the Trailer