Not too bad, but needs much more

Rating: 6/10 (20 March 2010)

"When you stop to let 'em know you got it down...it's just another town along the road"
--Jackson Browne
The sole intention of The Runaways (as a film) is to get inside the heads of the five girls who rocked the world in 1975. The film comes close to, and sometimes does hit the mark, but its general sense of drama is inconsistent. A large portion of the Runaways is too choppy, and many scenes feel like they are several minutes too short. I have a feeling that plenty of good material got lost in the editing room.
I'm a little dubious about Kristen Stewart's future career as an actress. Though definitely more admireable than Twilight, her performance is torpid, and doesn't earn my sympathy. Dakota Fanning, is much better, perhaps because the camera is on her more, but she does a much better job of acting with her face.
Their ability to portray rock stars on stage is impressive, but the music numbers are too brief. The Runaways left me a little frustrated, but it's still a film worth checking out, just take a moment before you go see it and ask yourself, what do you expect from it.
(If it's actual music you want maybe the Runaways isn't the film for you)