The Punk Singer review

Revolution Girl Style Now!

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Fronting riot grrrl instigators Bikini Kill and pop feminists Le Tigre, Kathleen Hanna was an outspoken voice for women in ‘90s US punk’s macho moshpit.

It’s hugely moving, then, when Sini Anderson’s docu-portrait reveals her quieted by illness. Scuffed archive footage, talking heads and chats with Hanna and husband/Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz, Anderson shows how Hanna inspired women and Nirvana alike.

Then she shows Hanna hit with Lyme disease, and it’s heartbreaking. When a comeback beckons, the audience’s adoration makes Anderson’s clear: Hanna’s fearless voice still commands attention.

Freelance writer

Kevin Harley is a freelance journalist with bylines at Total Film, Radio Times, The List, and others, specializing in film and music coverage. He can most commonly be found writing movie reviews and previews at 12DOVE.