SILVER

It's true that Joan Jett became mega-famous for her number-one hit "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," but that's only part of the story. That fame intensified with the music video's endless play on MTV, world tours and many hits to follow, but that staple of popularity can't properly define a musician. Jett put in her hard work long before the fame, ripping it up onstage as the backbone of the hard-rock legends The Runaways, starting her own record label out of the trunk of a car after being rejected by 23 labels and influencing many musicians — both her punk-rock cohorts and generations of younger bands — with her no-bullshit style. BAD REPUTATION is a wild ride through the burgeoning '70s punk scene and the rocky road to rock stardom as told by Jett and her close friends. Through interviews mixed with amazing archival footage, a clear theme emerges: even though people tried to define Jett, she never compromised. She will kick your ass, and you'll love her all the more for it. (Note adapted from Magnolia Pictures.) DIR Kevin Kerslake; SCR Joel Marcus; PROD Peter Afterman, Carianne Brinkman. U.S., 2018, color, 95 min. RATED R

AFI Member passes accepted.