The Runaways Review

Posted on 01. Feb, 2010 by in News

One of our TwilightMOMS had the opportunity to attend a screening of The Runaways last week. She was kind enough to write up a review for us.

My friend and I had a fabulous time last night at The Runaways special screening at our local Sundance theater.  The sold out show was filled with a mixed crowd of both young and old.  The filmmakers were originally scheduled to appear, but was changed this week to a guest appearance by Runaway Cheri Currie.  The movie was exciting and the acting was terrific.  After the first ten minutes I forgot I was even watching Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart.  Kristen’s role as Joan Jett is as far away from Bella Swan as she could possible get.  Everything from her attitude to her posture made her Joan Jett.  Fanning is amazing as Cherie Currie.  This role is such a departure from anything I have ever seen Fanning act in before.  She has left the little girl who once starred in I Am Sam in the dust.  Both actors sang their own vocals for the film and I was blown away by how close the songs sounded to the originals.  The movie centers around very mature themes and the R rating is very appropriate for this film.

After the film Cherie Currie sat in front of the theater and answered questions from the audience.  She was very candid and open about her experiences in The Runaways and her thoughts on the film.  She said both her and Joan were impressed by Stewart & Fanning’s performances and all of the hard work they put into their roles.  Currie said Fanning was brilliant actor and one of her favorite actors of all time.  The movie is based on Currie’s book Neon Angel:  A Memoir of The Runaways.  The book is currently out of print, but is being re-released March 16, 2010.

I think this film is going to be big.  This film is going to help The Runaways get the legacy they deserve as some of the first women of rock.

PS  As a mom of a young daughter I did have a few cringe-worthy moments during the film.  It was difficult to think about how young these girls were when the first went on the road.  They were on the road without their parents or even their manager.  The drugs, the manipulation from the manager, and personal struggles they experienced were such adult things for young women to be dealing with.

You can read the local paper’s write up of the evening here.

Thank you Stephanie for writing this up for us!! It’s always nice to get an opinion from someone that isn’t a movie critic ;)

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2 Responses to “The Runaways Review”

  1. Brittney

    01. Feb, 2010

    Thank you for writing that, Stephanie! I cannot wait for it to come to a theater here! :)

  2. Dreamingheart

    02. Feb, 2010

    Thank you Stephanie! I’ve been on the fence, back and forth, about whether to take our girls to see this one. Now I’m sure – it can wait until they’re older.

    I can sympathise with you on the cringing – the thing that always stays in my mind is how young they were when they first started, too. I can’t imagine our daughters in that position, having to face everything that the Runaways dealt with, growing up sooo fast in such harsh situations. Just having seen the trailer, and Dakota’s attitude as she watches everyone in that dance club, is a shock to realize that she’s only 15 – she seems like someone 20 years older, with the cynicism and disdain of a hard life. (And I haven’t even seen the film! I’m sure there’s more I’m not even aware of yet!)

    I think I’ll watch this one at home, but I WILL watch it. Thanks again Stephanie!