The Runaways (Rated R)
 If you’re of a certain age, this will start your head bobbing: “I love rock ‘n’ roll/so put another dime in the jukebox, baby.” That anthem, “I Love Rock n’ Roll” recorded by Joan Jett, sold more than 10 million records. But, that came later in Jett’s career. Director Floria Sigismondi focuses on the formative years (1975-77) of one of the earliest and most influential girl bands, Joan Jett and the Runaways. Kristen Stewart plays Jett, a talented, lonely teen (trivia alert: she attended Wheaton High School) who ignores her myopic guitar teacher’s admonition that girls don’t play electric guitar. She defies authority with her hard-driving guitar riffs and sexually-suggestive lyrics, fueled by her foul-mouthed, charismatic manager and producer, Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), who demands that the nascent band toughen up. He recruits Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning), a pubescent sex kitten, to deliver the words with raunchy attitude. Currie’s book, Neon Angel, inspired the film. Fowley says Cherie, a “trailer-trash Brigitte Bardot,” will be catnip to guys. The band also strikes a chord with teen girls; they are rock goddesses in Japan. But, as the band rockets to fame, Cherie loses her way, while the more stable Jett stays grounded in the music and perseveres in a tough business. The film contains rough language, drug usage, sexual experimentation and much defiance of authority, in short, the feel of this influential period of rock history. It’s a must see for serious rockers as well as anyone who has ever felt stifled by society’s norms.

Hot Tub Time Machine (Rated R)
After wincing through the previews of yet another group of man-boys behaving really badly, I expected the worst. But, several good, early reviews seduced me into thinking I’d enjoy this film. One of my favorite actors, reliable John Cusack, plays Adam, leading a sad sack group of buddies; college friends Lou and Nick (Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson), and his young nephew, Jacob (Clark Duke), ironically, the most mature member of the pack. The friends long ago went their separate ways and now middle age has crept in with disappointment and disillusionment. But, they reunite after Lou attempts suicide, revisiting an old stomping ground, a now faded ski resort. There through the portal of a bubbling hot tub, they’re transported to 1986, where they get the chance for a do-over with the hindsight of acquired “wisdom.”  I’m making the film sound both deeper and more interesting than it really is. Yes, there are some laughs, and the 80s references show that the 70s had no monopoly on goofy hairdos and garish clothing, but I winced at the coarse language, the gross jokes, the misogyny and homophobia. The film ultimately conveys a sweet message about friendship, but it was too little too late.

Why Did I Get Married Too? (Rated PG-13)
In Tyler Perry’s latest film, an overwrought and tonally uneven mess of marital woes, four couples (and an uninvited ex-husband), friends from college, gather together once again amidst the swaying palms and calm seas of the Bahamas to reaffirm why they got married. But, there’s a whole lot of drama lurking beneath the placid aquamarine seas. Perry plays one of the buff buddies (as well as writing, directing and producing the film) and his marriage to a successful lawyer (Sharon Leal) looks great, but like every couple there, they have big problems (and secrets).Trust is on life support: an ex-husband (Richard T. Jones) laments lost love and his abusive behavior, a screechy harridan (Tasha Smith) drinks too much and makes her husband’s life (and ours) a living hell, a psychologist (Janet Jackson) shuts down after losing a child. As if that wasn’t enough, cancer and infidelity are thrown into the mix too. The film’s “message”: Trust your spouse if you want a happy marriage, is innately sound (if simplistic), but this melodramatic maelstrom is exhausting. It’s not for everyone, but it struck a chord with audience members in my screening who cheered on the cast.  

Date Night (Rated PG-13)
Forget the manic plot and focus on the tremendously appealing leads, comedians Tina Fey and Steve Carrell, who star as Claire and Phil Foster, a long-married, suburban New Jersey couple whose marriage has grown stale. To spice things up they venture into Manhattan for a special date night starting at Claw, an exclusive Manhattan eatery. Lacking reservations, they are rebuffed by the snotty maitre d’, and in a rare moment of defiance, steal another couple’s reservation. That couple, the Templetons (scene stealers Mila Kunis and James Franco), are mixed up with miscreants; mayhem ensues in a pedestrian plot about mobsters and sleazy government officials where things go from bad to worse (like in the far superior After Hours). Mark Wahlberg, sans shirt and looking mighty fine is amusing spoofing his Marky Mark modelling days. But, back to the relationship between the Fosters: we’ve seen this side of Carrell before in The 40 Year Old Virgin, and Dan in Real Life; an average guy baffled by love, but doing his best to connect with efforts that are heartfelt and touching. Fey’s clever quips showcase her trademark wit; she is a devoted partner but exhausted by the demands of work and motherhood. Fatigued parents will relate. As expected, over the course of one night this couple will come to appreciate and trust each other more. What’s nice is you get the feeling that it’s going to stick. 

Agree? Disagree? Let Beth know what you think at beth@bethlambdin.com.