Running

Rating: Null/10 (8 March 2017)

Recruited for what would become a pioneer all-female hard rock band in the 1970s, two teenagers have to contend with whether to promote their music or sex appeal as per the wishes of their eccentric music producer in this film based on the true experiences of the title band that propelled Joan Jett to fame. The film is based on the memoirs of the band's lead singer, Cherie Currie, and the film is mostly spent on the dynamics and rising tensions between Joan and Cherrie, with Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart both convincing in the respective roles. Fanning has some particularly good moments towards the end as all the fame gets to her head and a final conversation between the pair provides a perfect note for the film to end on. In order to focus on these two big personalities, the film uncomfortably ignores the other three members of the band though, all of whom are so lightly developed that they remain completely interchangeable throughout. The fact that Cherie's family background gets such a large focus over Joan's when they are equal protagonists does not quite sit well either. Never to mind, the film is well paced enough that there is rarely a dull moment with Michael Shannon stealing every scene he is in as the band's off-the-wall producer with the craziest twinkle in his eye as he gets them to practise playing while food is thrown at them (!) and as he keeps going on about all negative publicity being good. There is also a lot to like about the girls' determination to succeed in a traditionally all-male industry no matter what it takes.