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WHIP IT
DIRECTOR: DREW BARRYMORE
WRITERS: SHAUNA CROSS
CAST: Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis, Kristen Wiig
PLOT: In Bodeen, Texas, an indie-rock loving misfit finds a
way of dealing with her small-town misery after she
discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.
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THE PROLOGUE:
We've all seen our share of the sports film genre, the typical underdog team trying to compete in order to reach their
dreams of making it to the finals, and many of these films are always the same. With the you've seen one you've seen
them all kind of formula. "Whip it" is not too much different from these typical sports film but what it does offer is a touch of
curiosity in roller derby, a sport that most are very unfamiliar with. This is the kind of mainstream film with an indie taste.
Not to mention that it's Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. With the entertaining trailer in my mind, I knew going in to
"Whip it" that I was in to watch a "cute" film. I don't normally run to see films like these, but with the interest in roller derby
and Ellen Page, how could I possibly pass?
THE PLOT:
The story of an ex-beauty pageant contestant named Bliss (played by Juno's Ellen Page) who leaves her crowns behind
after joining a roller-derby team. While her mother would prefer that Bliss unlace her skates and step back before the
judges, the rebellious teen instead seeks the wisdom of rowdy mentor Malice in Wonderland (Kristen Wiig) in learning the
tricks of the circuit track.
THE FILMMAKING:
There's nothing fancy to see here people. It's nothing groundbreaking but what you do have is a fun film about exploring
your freedom to do what you want to do. Everyone faces a situation in life where they are pressured by their peers to do
things they don't want. For example, in "Whip it", the mother wants nothing more than her daughter to be a beauty queen.
The only problem is that she wants to compete in Roller Derby. Drew Barrymore does a fantastic job showing us a
realistic and truthful relationship between a mother and daughter. The entire film is pretty much full of "girl power".
Although most people have heard of roller derby, not too many people actually know the rules or how it's played out. I am
very happy to finally learn what the sport is about and it's pretty brutal. No fancy camera moves or anything like that, but
what "Whip it" has going for it is great performances and an inside look into the roller derby world. It helps that Steven
Spielberg is your Godfather huh? While Drew Barrymore was shooting the film, she constantly asked Spielberg for advice.
I'd like to say that he is proud. While Drew Barrymore still has a lot to learn, she definitely shows a lot of promise.
THE PERFORMANCE:
Ellen Page can do no wrong. I've seen her film after film and seen her grow into an incredible actress. It’s very fortunate to
have someone who does this for the love of the art. To me the casting is what drew me to "Whip it". Being the strong
female personality that she is in Hollywood, Drew Barrymore recruited some great leading ladies. I was very pleased to
see Juliette Lewis be a bad ass once again on screen. It has been awhile since she's been in anything. Kristen Wiig is
making quite a name for herself as a great character-actor. Besides her usual gig on SNL, you can see her in almost any
new comedy that is released. Someone please give her a chance to headline a film! The entire cast consists of some
pretty funny people overall. Barrymore even managed to get Daniel Stern involved. Besides Ellen Page, no one clearly
stands out. Which is a good thing because the cast compliments each other.
THE FINAL THOUGHT:
I really want people to see this film. Not because it will change your life or anything, but because more films like it need to
be made. While some might think that this is typical Hollywood crap, it's not. A perfect world would be where a film like
"Whip it" was considered so-so. That would mean that any film above average is a masterpiece of some sort. If you want
to escape the usual boring, lame Romantic Comedies or even the Judd Apatow inspired comedies, then "Whip it" is the
route to take.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 FILM FRAMES
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