Review of Whip It (2009) by Rachel C — 06 Feb 2011

2.5/4.0.

Drew Barrymore's directorial debut is a fun movie to watch. Set in the 1990s, the movie centers on Bliss Cavender (Ellen Page), a bored 17-year-old at the small town of Bodeen, Texas who is working as a waitress and is being dragged to beauty pageants by her mother (Marcia Gay Harden). She becomes drawn to roller derby in Austin and joins the losing all female team called the Hurl Scouts lying about her age and without knowledge of her family. Bliss, aka Babe Ruthless, becomes the new underdog thanks to her impressive speed.

The movie is a by-the-books coming of age story dealing (conventionally) with teenage family rebellion, friendship (Bliss's best friend, confidante and fellow waitress Pash played by Alia Shawkat) and love (derby attendee band guitarist Oliver played by Landon Pegg). But the real insight is into the world of roller derby where we get to see (mostly middle aged) females put skates on and become aggressive. The cast is likeable throughout especially Page. Supporting cast includes Daniel Stern as her father, Barrymore as a fellow Hurl Scouts member, Juliette Lewis who is menacing fun as the leader of the winning opposing team the Holy Rollers, Jimmy Fallon as the show announcer and Kristin Wiig as another member who encourages Bliss to join in the first place (her character Maggie Mayhem is the alias of the story's author). Adapted to the screen by Shauna Cross (a former roller derby athlete) from her 2007 novel "Derby Girl".