The Runaways” earn solid reviews at Sundance
Not set to hit theaters till March, the film is already gaining positive buzz at the festival.
It appears though that the attention is less directed towards the quality of the film as much as it is towards the depiction of band members Joan Jett and Cherie Currie involved in a brief love affair.
With Dakota Fanning as Currie and Kirsten Stewart as Jett, movie goers may experience shock and dismay as the youngsters snort drugs, drink whiskey , make love and play rock and roll all in the name of cinematic accuracy.
The ‘70’s band were formed by guitarist Jett and drummer Sandy West in 1975, They were joined by Micki Steele on bass, Lita Ford on lead guitar and Currie. The girls were all under 18 at the time, hence the name.
Svengali-like manager Kim Fowley pitched them as the first all-girl rock band. Between Fowley’s business acumen and the raw talent of the band, The Runaways achieved moderate success in hard rock and club rock circles. Regular write ups in the rock magazines of the day, including Creem and Circus, added to the groups reputation.
Despite the main story of the band’s rise and fall and how it affected the real people and their friendships, it appears that all the media attention at least at the outset , is pointed toward the sexual relationship between Jett and Currie.
No surprise in this era of “Girls Gone Wild” mentality that the media would glom onto only one aspect of the film’s plot in an attempt to churn up a female version of “I Broke My Back Mounting Him”. Will we also see boycott and outrage in the theaters of America’s heartland? Stay tuned.