The Runaways - Rating: 9

   The first contender for Mark's Top Ten for 2010.  

   Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning prove they've got the "chops" and absolutely sizzle as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, the primary forces behind the groundbreaking all-girl rock band of the 70's -- The Runaways.
  This is their film and should be considered their "breakout performances" putting to rest their supposed images of that shallow actress from the Twilight series and the cute child actress.  I've seen more in them but most people haven't because they haven't seen Stewart in last year's Adventureland and The Yellow Handkerchief and Fanning in Hounddog (see the Neglected Ten list on this blog for more on those last two films. 

   I have a fantasy on behalf of Stewart and Fanning.  I hope for them that by the time they reach their mid-twenties (they're 19 and 16 now) they discover they're each other's soul mate, decide they have more than enough money and go into seclusion on an isolated estate on Maui to read, lay on the beach and wander the hills with their 37 cats. 

   Actually, the entire fantasy would involve them deciding this tomorrow and hiring Jo Ann and me as cat keeper/pool boy.

   My prediction for them however is that they will have long, distinguished acting careers.  In the year 2032 they will appear at the Academy Awards (this is if such frivolities survive the worldwide Oil Riots of 2025).  Each vying for her third Oscar and secure behind their well-developed public facades (Stewart having finally achieved one while Fanning seems to already have her's in place) they will giggle and get all fake red-faced about how they had to kiss each other when they were teenagers and made that goofy movie about the girl band.

   The performances of Stewart and Fanning are reason enough to see The Runaways but it is also overall very enjoyable.  Directed by Floria Sigismondi who comes from the world of music videos, the concert scenes are the best.  The scene where they perform their signature tune, Cherry Bomb ("hello mom, hello pop, I'm a ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!") is visually awesome.  Other nicely designed and framed shots abound.

   I wasn't real impressed with the other main character, the zany, manipulative manager who brings them to stardom.  There was too much of him perhaps, or maybe a different actor with a different take would have been better, this guy mostly annoyed me and some of his antics were cringe-worthy.

   But by in large, The Runaways is the BOMB!  You go girls!