The teaser trailer for The Runaways came out today, and it's got a tasty helping of Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon in eye makeup, and Kristen Stewart's Joan Jett throwing both fits and chairs. The clip won't do anything to derail the want-to-see buzz building for its premiere at Sundance, though I can't help but wonder: Are the odds stacked against this movie in general release?
I know that this was the year women proved that they can make a movie like New Moon into a massive phenomenon, but it was also the year that most female-targeted films with any sort of alt shadings -- like Whip It and Jennifer's Body -- found themselves met by an indifferent audience. The Runaways has got a lot in common with those two titles: like Whip It, it boasts a female director and some riot grrl inspiration, and like Jennifer's Body, it stars a famous paparazzi magnet outside of her mega-franchise (not to mention a same-sex kiss the press has salivated over). I know I'll be there -- next month, in fact. But will ticketbuyers?
VERDICT: Sold.