The Runaways

The origins of bands are usually an interesting insight into the behind-the-scenes moments of rock 'n' roll history. The Runaways is exactly that kind of film. We follow the titular group as they come together. They are young girls who can't even legally drink alcohol yet, but they are devoted to music and want to play and sing. They don't want to be some choir; they want to be a real rock band that can compete with male bands. And perhaps they could have succeeded. What was the main factor in their failure? Most likely their age, mutual misunderstandings, ties to family, or conversely, a complete severing of family contacts, and perhaps even the eccentric manager Kim Fowley, perfectly portrayed by Michael Shannon. He is an incredible actor with a promising career ahead of him; given his abilities, he can achieve a lot. His roles haven't favored him so far, but it has now become clear that when given a chance and trusted, he will deliver. His Oscar nomination for Revolutionary Road was definitely not a coincidence. However, the spotlight probably focused the most on Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, who are making a maximum effort to break free from the notion that they act solely because they are pretty. Kristen has the potential to be a good actress, and Dakota seems poised to succeed as well. I will enjoy following the development of their careers. It's just a shame that The Runaways wasn't a bit grittier and less grounded. Then it could have had real impact and become a true film about the formation of a rock band. (2013-02-22)

Unfortunately, this film never managed to get me interested enough to care about the fate of the band and its members. Those girls need a good educational spanking at home to simmer down. This kind of rebels without a cause get on my nerves already by looking at them. An average film in every aspect. (2010-06-21)

The Runaways pulls off a decent biopic about an iconic 70s punk band that left a lasting mark on music history. The casting is impressive, with the actresses bearing a striking resemblance to the real-life band members. The downside, though, is that the story felt a bit rushed and lacked depth. But to be fair, real life doesn’t always follow a neat script, so I can’t fault it too much for that. What I did miss was a more hard-hitting, defining moment that really captured the chaos of that era. I mean, even Walk the Line about Johnny Cash felt grittier than this one about these wild punk rockers. (2011-05-16)

I had never heard of the first true all-girl rock band, and at first I was wondering if I hadn't gotten lost again in something like Tár, but my doubts were completely dispelled as soon as the notorious hit "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" sounded. Though I'm not a fan of long running times, this film seemed really abbreviated, perhaps too much. However, it is adorned with excellent performances of my favorites Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, and Michael Shannon. (2024-07-05)

"Boooring," Homer Simpson would say. "That’s toooo bad," I would add. Seriously. I was quite looking forward to the film, but sadly, The Runaways bored and disappointed me. To summarize, let’s look at the pros first: Good music, pleasingly wild direction (the videographer cannot be denied), producer Kim Fowley played by Michael Shannon. Cons: Surprisingly, the pair of lead actresses, who I didn't believe in much as rockers and bad-asses (especially Dakota - for example, it doesn't compare at all to the film Domino and Keira Knightley's excellent transformation), were uninteresting, the film had a lengthy story, a script that is one big cliché and turns out and unfolds exactly as you suspect at the beginning (yes, it was written by the director), and then there is another criticism connected with all this - the film’s excessive length. It's been a long time since I've been bored and fidgeting at the Film Club, and the events on the screen didn't really entertain me... Sorry, ladies, but that gets you two stars and maybe a little bit of a third star.__P.S. Kristen Stewart's looked good, though, I can't deny that. (2010-09-21)