Kristen Stewart in The Runaways
Kristen Stewart, in her first starring vehicle following her success as the befuddled heroine in The Twilight Saga movies, has received many more bouquets from critics than fellow Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon co-star Robert Pattinson. For his performance as a rebellious young man in Allen Coulter's romantic drama Remember Me, Pattinson has been greeted by many more pans than paens from US and international critics.
US critics have found Kristen Stewart's rebelliousness in Floria Sigismondi's The Runaways more to their tastes. According to reviewers, Stewart has done a thoroughly believable impersonation of rocker Joan Jett for early 21st century audiences.
We're still culling snippets from various reviews and will be adding more later today. So far, no Oscar talk for either Stewart or co-star Dakota Fanning, but inevitably someone will come up with that at some point.
"Stewart, known mainly for mumbling and stumbling through the Twilight movies, is the revelation here. She has made a meticulous study of Jett – of her posture, her manner, her expressions, even in the way thoughts cross her eyes. And she has Jett's stage manner down, the way this seemingly shy person assumes total authority when she gets up to play. The visuals help – the costuming and art direction are spot-on." Mick LaSalle in the San Francisco Chronicle.
"Another new movie this week, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo from Sweden, has a role for a young, hostile computer hacker. Stewart has been mentioned for the inevitable Hollywood remake. Reviewing that movie, I doubted she could handle such a tough-as-nails character. Having seen her as Joan Jett, I think she possibly could." Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times.
"The film, directed with a gritty eye by Floria Sigismondi, was surprisingly successful when it came to casting. Kristen Stewart, as Joan Jett, channels all of her weird, fidgety Twilight energy into a compelling, tomboyish figure of a girl/woman who just wants to rock as hard—or harder—as her male counterparts … And Dakota Fanning, all grown up from her Dr. Seuss days, is believable as jail-bait Cheri Currie—half David Bowie, half Brigit [sic] Bardot …" Sara Vilkomerson in the New York Observer.
"As portrayed, they're so generically brash that they don't have full-scale personalities. Stewart nails Jett's sinewy swagger, but Joan's lesbian proclivities are treated in a teasing, music-video way. I mean, why be so coy in a film that's meant to be a rowdy salute to a new kind of audacious feminine sexual power?" Owen Gleiberman in Entertainment Weekly.
Photo: The Runaways (River Road Entertainment)
I have seen the Runaways today. It blows you mind out! Amazing job of the director and director of photography. it is so artistic and beautiful. No exploitation of female characters for the sake of it. Music? Fell like being at the concert. Did they sing or had help, I do not know. Winner.
Director of photo. deserves an Oscar. I cried and went laughed.