The Runaways Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

The Runaways Blu-ray Movie Review

Is Sony's latest release the (cherry) bomb?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 16, 2010

Sex. Violence. Revolt.

Talk about "change." Forget 2008; in the 1970s, times were a-changin' like nobody's business. In 1975, Vietnam was pretty much over with the fall of Saigon, a U.S. President had resigned months earlier, nuclear proliferation and the Cold War had the world on the brink of disaster, and a few rebellious girls formed a band that would change the face of Rock and Roll. They were The Runaways, an American band that would launch the career of Joan Jett and spawn a story that would in 2010 find its way into theaters as a small independent motion picture directed by Italian-born filmmaker Floria Sigismondi. Unfortunately, Sigismondi's film is little more than a paint-by-numbers exercise, an exercise that's admittedly done fairly well, but a paint-by-numbers exercise nevertheless. The Runaways is a formula-based fictionalized retrospective piece that tells an interesting story but does so in a wholly uninteresting light; sure the film looks good and the acting is superb, but there's very little spirit or feeling to the picture and seemingly no real purpose behind the telling of the story. The Runaways seems like a movie that's been made for the sake of making a movie, the filmmakers having taken a perfectly fine story but doing nothing of substance with it. The result is a watchable but ultimately hollow movie that's of the old "see it and forget it" variety, but at the very least it'll probably sell a few music downloads on iTunes.

Not that innocent.

Wannabe rock star Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart, Welcome to the Rileys) has a chance meeting with record producer Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) and secures an audition with him after convincing him of the validity of her idea for an all-girl rock band. Kim believes that angst, rebellion, and sex appeal will lead the forming band to stardom, but they're still missing a key ingredient: a lead singer. They recruit a young girl named Cherie (Dakota Fanning, War of the Worlds) to become part of the band; she's got the right look, and even though her personal musical resumé begins and ends with her singular accomplishment of winning a high school talent show, she earns an opportunity to audition for the band. Things don't go well until she impresses Kim and Jett with an edgy rendition of the hastily-assembled "Cherry Bomb," a song that would ultimately become the group's -- now known as "The Runaways" -- top hit. Though record deals, international travel, and stardom await the girls, so to do the perils and pitfalls of life as rock stars. Sex, drugs, alcohol, vendettas, self-promotion, and infighting soon begin to plague the band and threaten to tear apart a group that's become an overnight sensation.

The Runaways is a film of plusses and minuses with the two pretty much canceling one another out, resulting in an OK movie that's worth a watch but not much more. On the negative side of the ledger is perhaps the picture's biggest fault, a sense of detachment that alienates the audience from the characters and their lives, leaving the movie hanging out to dry and giving it no real sense of purpose other than as a simple "been there, done that" biopic about a band that -- shocker -- comes together, finds great success, and splits apart under the pressures of stardom, personal squabbles, and heavy reliance on sex, drugs, and alcohol. It's not that the story of Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, and The Runaways is a dull one, it's just an old one, and Director Floria Sigismondi doesn't do anything to inject any life into it beyond what viewers familiar with the genre will expect to find in it. It covers all the angles it needs to in its seemingly one and only purpose of covering familiar ground, even down to the gritty, raw, and desaturated visual scheme that gives the movie something of a disturbing, off-kilter appearance that does reinforce the themes but in its own way looks and feels cliché. There's simply little-to-no emotional investment into the picture on this side of the screen, even if Stewart and Fanning give it their all on the other. Basically, The Runaways is a Classic Rock movie without a Soul and all that Jazz.

Indeed, it's the performances of Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning that save The Runaways from disappearing into complete obscurity. While they have no choice but to follow the formula, they do so with an honesty and verve that does breathe some life into an otherwise stale story. It's amazing that Stewart had the time to do The Runaways considering that Twilight-mania is in full swing, and, surprise, she proves herself to be far more than a garden-variety teenage girl with a crush on a vampire. There's a complexity to her character that's found not in her looks but in the way she carries herself, and her performance does more to develop the character than does even the script. She has the rebellious attitude down so well that she completely vanishes into the role, again thanks more to her physical performance and not simply because of her makeup and haircut. Fanning, too, shows that age hasn't diminished her acting chops. This is a Dakota Fanning that's never really been seen before; she plays a tough character with plenty of emotional baggage and physical addictions and afflictions and, like Stewart, there's a genuineness to her performance that captures the raw and gritty spirit of the picture, the era, and the story magnificently. As with Stewart, it's Fanning's acting -- not her costumes and makeup -- that sells the character and makes the movie better than it deserves to be, all other things considered.

The Runaways Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sony brings The Runaways to Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer that's reflective of the filmmakers' intent, in this case meaning that it sports a washed-out appearance, heavy grain, and details that aren't as crisp and sharp as those seen on films that don't implement an intentionally worn and weathered appearance. The rough-and-tumble visual scheme suits the material well, and it reinforces the rebellious streaks of the characters as well as the darker story elements nicely. The tradeoff for less in terms of visual eye candy doesn't hurt at all. The horsepower under Blu-ray's hood still allows for even a movie like The Runaways to look great in its own right; Sony's disc faithfully captures the heavy grain structure and squeezes out every last bit of detailing that is to be found in the film. Unfortunately, some light background blocking and wayward color gradations are to be seen, but these distractions aren't all that intrusive and crop up only in a few shots. Black levels are excellent, and flesh tones match the film's worn and haggard appearance. Though it's not shiny and vibrant, The Runaways looks great for what it is.

The Runaways Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Any movie about rock stars demands a top-flight soundtrack. Combine that with the fact that this is a Sony title, and a new release to boot, and the stars are aligned for one rocking and rolling good time, and The Runaways' DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless presentation doesn't disappoint. As for the more mundane elements, The Runaways handles environmental ambience extremely well; background music heard inside a store in one early scene plays with a subtle but commanding presence by the way it so effortlessly turns the listening area into a California store. Exterior scenes are equally enveloping and rich, with light blowing winds, buzzing insects that traverse the soundstage, and other atmospheric elements that sonically recreate most every locale found throughout the movie. Of course, the track's true power comes during its high-energy music scenes. Some early moments before the band hits its stride are impressive in their own right, but it's those later scenes when The Runaways are topping the charts, playing to crowds, and going about their business with a delightful aggressiveness that define this sound mix. Guitar riffs sharply slice through the listening area and reverberate with a strong, seat-rattling intensity. Bass is clean but deep and strong, and vocals are smooth and crisp, from lighter notes to the harsher "ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!" lyrics. The power on display in such scenes is second-to-none, and Sony's soundtrack retains that harsh Rock 'N' Roll edge, but never at the expense of clarity. No doubt this DTS mix is the highlight of The Runaways and represents one of the year's best tracks.

The Runaways Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sony brings The Runaways to Blu-ray with only a few extras. First is an audio commentary track with Singer Joan Jett and Actresses Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning. The track is rather bland, sometimes unfocussed, and with some stretches of silence. The information isn't bad when relevant, but there's plenty of off-the-cuff and random observations that don't add much to the experience. Plugged In: Making the Film (1080p, 15:37) features cast, crew, and real-life members from The Runaways discussing various aspects of the film and the history it portrays. The Runaways (1080p, 2:19) is a short piece that's basically a condensed version of Plugged In. Also included is BD-Live functionality; Sony's MovieIQ connectivity; and 1080p trailers for Chloe, The Square, The Bounty Hunter, Harry Brown, The Pillars of the Earth, Get Low, and Youth in Revolt.

The Runaways Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Talk about a familiar refrain. The Runaways feels like a drive-by biopic that could have applied to any number of bands of the past several decades, with The Runaways seemingly chosen because Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning were of the right age and appearance to play the story's lead roles. Of course, they're the best things about The Runaways, but despite their fine performances, the movie just has "generic" written all over it, and Director Floria Sigismondi doesn't do anything to erase or even minimize the fact this is just the same old sex, drugs, and Rock 'N' Roll-type movie that's almost been done to death. Nevertheless, Sony has done right by the movie, granting it a strong technical presentation, though the Blu-ray does come up short on extra content. Despite the absence of originality, The Runaways is good enough to make for a decent rental, and maybe even a buy at the right price for those that just have to see the sweet little innocent Dakota Fanning all grown up and snorting powder, popping pills, and singing in lingerie.