MovieChat Forums > The Runaways (2010) Discussion > Incredibly bad casting (with one excepti...

Incredibly bad casting (with one exception)

posted 12 years ago by lazarillo
6 replies | jump to latest

This movie wasn't bad, but it was done in by the casting. First off, because a character is 15, doesn't mean you have to hire a 15-year-old to play her. (That can be like hiring someone who is actually drunk to play a drunk). Dakota Fanning is a child actor who hasn't quite shown she can handle a more serious, more adult role.

Also, the idea of her being the "sexy" front of the group is pretty hard to buy when you cast an awkward teen like Fanning against older and more attractive actresses like Kristen Stewart and Scout-Taylor Compton. Cherie Currie was prettier than Joan Jett, but Jett had more charisma and definitely more talent. Stewart manages to both be prettier than the real Joan Jett, but also much, MUCH less charismatic. The best young ACTRESS here meanwhile is Scout-Taylor Compton, but she hardly has a role.

The one actor who was great though is Michael Shannon. I don't know why he hasn't gotten nominated for an Oscar yet. But they should have used Jennifer Lawrence for Cherie Currie and pretty much anybody BUT Stewart for Joan Jett.

[–] rileyinlondon 12 years ago

Dude, Michael Shannon HAS been nominated for an Oscar, for Revolutionary Road, but lost out to Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight. And let's face it, his death sparked huge interest that no one really seemed to have before, so there was some kind of obligation for Ledger to receive a posthumous award. Not to say Ledger wasn't fantastic, but dying is a tough act to follow.

[–] raven1066 12 years ago

Gotta disagree w/ya OP. I thought everyone was cast well to great in the film. I thought DF and KS did a great job in their respective roles. To each their own.

"You can't have my heart."

[–] highschoolkiller 12 years ago

i don't agree that kirsten stewart is prettier than joan jett :) I thought she was miscast as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDXPiykZhnM&feature=plcp

[–] Robot-Werewolf 11 years ago

Dude, Michael Shannon HAS been nominated for an Oscar, for Revolutionary Road, but lost out to Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight. And let's face it, his death sparked huge interest that no one really seemed to have before so there was some kind of obligation for Ledger to receive a posthumous award.

Ledger had previously been up for an Oscar, you know (Best Actor, Brokeback Mountain). And his win was only the second posthumous win for an acting Oscar. They don't just hand them out because someone has died.

[–] MissAngelCakes 11 years ago

Taylor Momsen would've made a perfect Cherie

[–] Snyder2277 11 years ago

I think the only bad casting was Dakota Fanning she did not capture Cherie at all I did not believe for a second she was her. They should have gotten someone else someone sexier and edgier to play her. Dakota as she is good in other movies she just wasn't believable at all she was annoying and horrible. Kristen Stewart nailed Joan Jett and I thought michael Shannon was excellent as Kim Fowley...everyone else did a really good job as well