The feminine grit of ‘The Runaways’

Kristen Stewart (left) and Dakota Fanning find their inner-glam rock rebels as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie

The movie: The Runaways

Written and directed by: Floria Sigismondi

Famous people you should recognize in the movie: Kristen Stewart (as Joan Jett), Dakota Fanning (as Cherie Currie), Michael Shannon (as Kim Fowley)

A ‘Runaway’ under Arrested Development: Did anyone realize that one of the group members is Alia Shawkat a.k.a. Maeby Fünke? Another fun fact – her character of Robin is a fictional member because apparently, the original member, Micki Steele (who later became the bassist for The Bangles) never gave consent to use her name in the biopic. Thus, fictional bassist Robin was born – which would explain the lack of dialogue she had in the movie.

The other ‘Runaways’ that you might not recognize: Stella Maeve as Sandy West and Scout Taylor-Compton as Lita Ford.

The story: A girl with a choppy mullet and a “f*ck you” attitude (Joan) wants to form an all-girl rockband. With the help of a brash, crude, yet motivating producer Kim Fowley, she succeeds with a blonde outcast from the burbs who is bored with her life (Cherie). It’s a hybrid of a rock biopic and an R-rated after school special.

I love rock n’ roll: Putting the microscope on one of the pioneering rock from the Bowie glam of the ’70s is long overdue. It reinvigorated the need for girl power and it probably started a new movement of female empowerment much like the Spice Girls – except a lot grittier, dirtier and more butch.

Kristen doesn’t sound too constipated: Stewart has gotten a lot of crap about her inability to “act” – but I am going to go against the norm and out some faith in her. As opposed to her character in Twilight she doesn’t sound like she is trying to give birth when she is talking.

Dirty Dakota looks so clean: Dakota Fanning excels in feathered hair, towering wedges and naughty girl-on-girl drug play. As Cherie, Fanning delivers a heavy hearted performance as a girl who grows up way too fast – very appropriate for this generation.

Overall critique: The movie is as fun, sugary, anarchic and explosive as a ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! Grade: B