Dakota Fanning in The Runaways
Kristen Stewart's role in The Runaways is actually subordinate to that of Dakota Fanning, even though Joan Jett (Stewart) is much better remembered today than Cherie Currie (Fanning). However, writer-director Floria Sigismondi's screenplay is based on Currie's autobiography — which explains the film's focus.
The Runaways has opened to mixed but generally positive reviews. The film's three leads, Stewart, Fanning, and Michael Shannon, have received most of the praise. Even so, there have been some critics who have carped about either Stewart's or Fanning's (sometimes both) inability to truly bring to life the mid-70s rockers.
"Fanning and Stewart do their own singing here (Stewart took guitar lessons, too), and they're really good … Fanning has nailed down the perfect lost-angel presence for her portrayal of Cherie (compare it with old Runaways concert footage and you can see how close she's come to the original model); and while Stewart spends a lot of time slightly off to the side, she makes herself felt in every sequence in which she figures. Her ambiguity — as a friend, as a lover — is fascinating, especially in a scene in which Joan is lying on top of Cherie, breathing pot smoke into her mouth, and the camera looks up into her dark, otherworldly eyes, wondering what she's wondering, and what she sees coming." Kurt Loder on MTV.com.
"Fanning, unfortunately, is absolutely wrong as Cherie. Fifteen when the film was being shot, in a bustier and fishnets and heavy makeup, she looks like an innocent lured off Hollywood Boulevard for child porn, not the growling sex machine that — at least on stage — Currie was. … In recent years, she has been turning to indie projects to make the transition to edgier adult roles, including as a rape victim in the provocative but panned Hounddog in 2007. But she has yet to find the right platform, and with Cherie, she never finds her footing." Betsy Sharkey in the Los Angeles Times.
"Sigismondi's refusal to effectively flesh out the majority of the supporting figures proves disastrous, as talented performers like Stewart and Shawkat are left with little to do but strike sneering, rebellious poses (and this is to say nothing of Fanning's flat-out inability to wholeheartedly step into the shoes of her hard-bitten character)." David Nusair at Reel Film Reviews.
"Stewart, who adopts Jett’s hunched posture and punk mumble, lets her hungry stare do all the work. She wants to be a real rocker, not just a star. Fanning’s Currie, by contrast, is the baby drama queen, a frail narcissist who can’t help marketing her nubile sexuality because it gets her the attention she craves." Liam Lacey in the Toronto Globe and Mail.
"Dakota Fanning, long Hollywood's leading child star, hurls herself into the role of Cherie Currie, the band's jailbait lead singer whose overt sexuality and provocative outfits predated Madonna by a decade or more. It is a stunning transition from the innocence of most of Fanning's roles, and the actress pulls it off without hitting a false note as Currie deals with an alcoholic father, a neglectful mother, drugs and the ravages of fame." Charlie McCollum at the San Jose Mercury News.
Wow, I just came from the movie. Watched The Runaways. What a movie. You should never will (or at least this week) watch any romantic comedy again. It is a waste of your brain cells.
The director of photography Benoit Debie in charge of the camera- his work is is a masterpiece! The close captures of let’s say dog’s poop. A high heel cracking the pill, Dakota’s character fainting in the elevator, the car (!!!) genius) that take them on the tour parked up the ramp, as if it was a warning ,a symbol of quick possibility of falling back. That film can be watch just to learn what professional cameras can do, pure art, .What a vision- close view into the eyes of the musicians. Art at the highest. The director Floria Sigismondi—deserves an Oscar. She does not exploit the girls. That famous for being famous kissing scene is nothing, done in shades, nothing to it. Believe me ,I was afraid for hard core heterosexual scenes with drugged musicians – that did not happened either .
The best actor for me—is Michael Shannon, or maybe his role is just well written. Dakota is superb. Kristen is almost too pretty to be a real butch, compose , stoic. Clear leader. When she smiles- all that upper middle class girl , child comes out. She looks very innocent. Very believable. The girls were not monsters but regular girls. The camera, yes, I am In love with the camera crew- shots from above, angles. As for emotions: I have cried twice and laughed about three times. I was glued to the chair. Too bad it is R rated. All girls should see it. And if the girls sung themselves- the are gifted. It gives you felling of being at the concert. I do not know who sung what because voices bland together. It is such emotional drama, elegantly made, energizing but without sentiments. Real life story objectively presented. Real music movie. Too short for me.