The Runaways

The Runaways is a visually well done, thought provoking biopic starring Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. The movie evoked feelings of, Almost Famous, for me mostly because of it being a bio-pic pertaining to music culture. But, unfortunately Almost Famous, was much better than the latter. Not to say that, The Runaway's, wasn't entertaining or a cinematic accomplishment, but it just lacked numerous elements that made, Almost Famous, an Academy Award winner.

It was actually really entertaining to see Stewart in a different role than her Twilight character. In this movie she plays Joan Jett, a girl kissing, cocaine snorting, oversexed teenager who very convincingly leads the all girl band, The Runaway's. Stewart receives a lot of negative attention due to her Twilight connection, but I'm sure her detractors are watering at the mouths with her hairstyle and general wardrobe throughout the film. I had no problem with how she looked in the movie and would go as far as to say that the look suited her quite well. All those ancillary effects aside, Stewart really brings it acting-wise in this film. It's a risky choice considering the movie is essentially sandwiched between two "Twilight release summer's", and she isn't playing her traditional damsel in distress doe-eyed vampire lover archetype, but Stewart really goes all in with this effort. Her performance is without a doubt one of the most important things to take from this movie.

Floria Sigismondi, the film's director, does a very solid job with a predictable rock movie. She shoots a lot of scenes with dark lighting to add to the effect of some of the darker scenes and create an environment where the viewer can become immersed in, which I really liked. But, borrowing a line from Karina Longworth, of the Village Voice, "The movie is at its best when working through the contradictions of teen sex-for-sale, when it's both turn-on and creep-out", I felt she did the best at capturing this idea, whether it was the way she shot the photo-op with Dakota Fanning's character or the lesbian kiss scene.