The Runaways

Based on Cherrie Currie's poorly written memoir "Neon Angel: The Cherrie Currie Story," about her crash-and-burn experiences as a member of producer Kim Fowley's manufactured all-girl rock band, "The Runaways" is a textbook case of guilty pleasure. Dakota Fanning delivers her best work to date as Cherrie, the band's bisexual lead singer, while Kristen Stewart channels tomboy guitarist Joan Jett. But Michael Shannon steals the show as famously eccentric and foul-mouthed rock 'n' roll impresario Kim Fowley. Scenes of Fowley taunting the girls with dog poo, insults and dirty names to extract the in-your-face performance for which the band became famous, are riveting. Sadly, Shannon's massacred characterization gets swept under the carpet when the band goes on tour, ostensibly because he never wanted to leave Los Angeles in order to play chaperone to "Dog Meat." Debut filmmaker Floria Sigismondi is keen on telescoping meta meaning from the micro details of the band's '70s-era rock lifestyle. Deep lesbian kisses, avid drug abuse, and irresponsible parents play into a Dionysian hand dealt by androgynous rock gods David Bowie and Iggy Pop, whose music figures prominently in the film's glam-heavy soundtrack. Joan Jett and record producer Kenny Laguna executive produced this coming-of-age reverie of a very different time in American culture.

Rated R. 105 mins. (B-) (Three Stars - out of five/no halves)

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