Bad Reputation

I'm a huge Joan Jett fan. I love 80's rock and I think that some of her songs that weren't radio hits are underrated and as good as anything that was out on the radio in the 1980's. Joan was and is the ultimate cool feminist, doing her thing and not worrying about her "reputation" so to speak. Lots of great archival, concert, and interview footage in this. Fans of Joan Jett, fans of music, or fans of the 80's will love this.

This is my third or fourth time at least, watching this documentary about my best girl, Joan Jett. And in all honesty, I was not impressed by this the first time I saw it, because it felt like a love-letter just for Joan- a film made just to please her rather than her audience- devoid of anything interesting for fans to come away with, instead leaving us only with what we already knew.

Joan tends to think that people who criticized this doc only wanted tabloid-esque details about her wild party days or whatnot. But, this is not the case- not for me, at least. My main issue with this documentary was that it lacked any real intimacy. I went into this hoping to see her hanging out at home, watching TV, cooking in her kitchen (which she loves to do) while talking to the camera... you know, a day in the life kind of thing, so that it felt like the viewer was really hanging out with her, getting to know her. But, on the contrary, this is an extremely formal and professional portrait. And while I respect the formality as a trait of politeness on Joan's part, it is annoying to someone who wanted something a bit more cozy and revealing.

I didn't learn anything new about the lady I love so dearly, and true to character, she stays classically aloof here. But, after having watched it a few times now (because Joan), I've come to appreciate that despite still leaving something to be desired, it is brisk, never boring, shows Joan to be quite likable, humble, and non-pretentious, and gives a very nice overview of her career.

Don't expect to know Joan deeply after this. This documentary is not a gut-spilling revelation like some are. But, for what it is, it's good. And it's Joan, so...

I love you so very much, Joanie Jett! 💌💖

Six stars is because I will like anything that even remotely involves Joan Jett. Having said that, there is little substance to this documentary, and testimonials from the likes of Miley Cyrus and the Green Day punk pretender seem like filler to attempt to be relevant with younger fans, and already seem dated. The virtue signaling in the last half hour or so was boring. There is so much more to Joan Jett, and hopefully there will be a great Joan Jett documentary out there somewhere, but this ain't it...

Joan Jett was a trailblazer for women and outsiders in rock n roll and Bad Reputation does a decent job condensing this into a 90 minute raw and intense dive into the highest highs and lowest lows of Joan Jett's illustrious career. While the storytelling is a bit disjointed, it is absolutely a worthwhile watch. I would recommend to any music aficionado.

Documentary on the storied life and career of rock 'n roll guitarist-singer-songwriter Joan Jett, whose path to stardom began in 1975 when the 16-year-old from Canoga Park, CA began frequenting a Hollywood nightclub for kids. Intoxicated by the music and the campy glitter vibe--and inspired by the burgeoning women's movement and Liza Minnelli's performance in "Cabaret"--Jett and her electric guitar from Sears was eager to make contacts within the industry. She quickly did, connecting with eccentric music producer Kim Fowley to form The Runaways, the first hard rock group with 16 and 17-year-old girls as its members. From her years living on the streets of L. A. to a continually hot-and-cold solo career, this rock chick's rollercoaster journey is entertaining despite being laid-out in a spotty fashion (it's the Cliffs notes version). Some wonderful stills, home movies on tour, insider interviews and a hot soundtrack make up for an overall lack of gravitas. *** from ****