THE RUNAWAYS: SEX, DRUGS and ROCK 'N' ROLL

Many have heard of Joan Jett or Lita Ford, but few probably know that they started out in the same all-girl teenage rock band in LA called The Runaways. Now thanks to the new movie of the same name and a little TWILIGHT star power (Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as lead singer Cherie Currie), the story of the first female rock band is being told.


The band only lasted four years, but they changed the music industry forever. The movie chronicles the girls through their formation, rise to fame, hard partying lifestyle and turbulent relationship with manager Kim Fowley (Oscar nominee Michael Shannon). It marks the feature film directorial debut for Floria Sigismondi, the music video veteran who wrote the screenplay based on Currie's book Neon Angel. Jett served as executive producer to help guide Stewart and the rest of the cast.


The end result lived up to expectation even though the film is a bit choppy. Stewart shines as the tough as nails Jett, while Dakota Fanning is almost unrecognizable as Currie. The film doesn't shy away from the teenage girls graphic drug use and sexual experimentation. It's a raw look at the 1970's male dominated rock 'n' roll scene and how one girl (Jett) and one band (The Runaways) defied the odds.


...........and I personally would love to see a biopic on Jett that picks up where THE RUNAWAYS left off. TBC....


Update 3/29/2010: THE RUNAWAYS received four MTV Movie Award nominations.