tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958755632551920246.post7332187539572643811..comments2024-03-22T07:17:40.839-04:00Comments on Rock and the Single Girl: 'Cause a girl can't be tied down: Family Guilt in The Runawaysjamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384263137383065723noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958755632551920246.post-46583903461184572752010-06-16T12:52:35.571-04:002010-06-16T12:52:35.571-04:00I was really disappointed too that they left out C...I was really disappointed too that they left out Cherie's rape, because how it shaped her could have been shown as something really empowering. If you read Cherie's memoir, you'll see that she's anything but a victim! She totally owns her problems with her family and how that and the sexual assaults she survived impacted her addictions, and I kinda think she's awesome.<br /><br />As soon as I read that the director -- who also, for some reason, wrote the screenplay despite no writing experience -- was leaving out the rape, I had a bad feeling about the movie. But it's not all bad; I just wrote an article for a zine about how wonderful the Joan Jett parts of the movie are. Seeing her struggle to just learn how to play guitar with no support, and despite a lot of naysayery from douche-y teachers ("Girls don't play electric guitar"), was actually really validating for me, and made me cry a little bit, for real. It's totally worth the rental for that alone, and I do recommend it.<br /><br />Also, I don't think it's stereotypical, but just a fact of life that family problems and issues would never have been focused on so much in a movie about male musicians. The biopics on Ray Charles and Johnny Cash both have heartbreaking stories of brothers who are killed in accidents, but Charles and Cash aren't portrayed as weak for grieving, or for self-medicating. No, instead, they're 'complicated', and have this weird flawed hero thing going on. I loved both those movies (and love both those musicians), but what a lot of sexist spin!jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09384263137383065723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958755632551920246.post-14562792894318102992010-06-14T09:17:01.563-04:002010-06-14T09:17:01.563-04:00I hate to give a stereotypical response here, but ...I hate to give a stereotypical response here, but if this kind of situation had been portrayed about an all-men's band with the exact same circumstances, an excuse of family would have never been given. I have yet to see the movie, but I'm really disappointed hearing your assessment. Also, leaving out the rape is ridiculous, because that's a personality-shaping event. It didn't necessarily need to be on screen, but not even mentioning it was a mistake.Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06040997944255463010noreply@blogger.com