 There are powerful forces coming together for the movie “Whip It”. Actress Drew Barrymore, (my favorites include “He's Just Not That Into You” (2009), “50 First Dates” (2004), “Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle” (2003), “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” (2002), “Charlie's Angels” (2000), and “Titan A.E.” (2000); actress Ellen Page who gained public recognition to include an Oscar® nomination for her performance in “Juno” (2008), and the exciting sports competition of Roller Derby that many of us “Boomers” were avid TV watchers in the 60’s and 70’s. Harnessing those forces is producer, debut feature film director, Drew Barrymore!
 Ellen Page stars as teenager Bliss Cavendar, an indie-rock loving misfit, from the small town of Bodeen, Texas. Her mother, well meaning in wanting her daughter to rise to the “high society” life she never had, and is also driven by the familiar “keep up with the Jones” syndrome, has always pushed her into beauty pageants and other events that sets the family on track to be part of that high society. Quite by accident Bliss and her best friend (Alia Shawkat) discover a roller derby league in nearby Austin, Texas. Bliss is taken with the aura of the sport, the women involved, and the physicality of pushing oneself to be the best. Deciding to do something that “she” wants to do, her double life begins! In Bodeen, she’s the usual studious, shy, unassuming, confidence lacking Bliss. In Austin, moving her age to 22 from the actual 17, she works her way onto a roller derby team and become the fearless, “ Babe Ruthless” and to her surprise, she becomes a fan favorite! Of course, Bliss’ double life is on a collision course as both “lives” begin to demand more and more of her time, and Bliss and her best friend are determined to survive it all!
“Whip It” (a roller derby term for a specific power play move) mixes the coming of age aspect to growing up, friendships and family relationships, with an insight into the fast paced sport of Roller Derby, which has been on the rise again since 2000 after it faded in the 1970’s. “Whip It” is the directorial debut for Drew Barrymore (of the famous Barrymore family of actors going back to 1900), who has been acting since she was 5 years old, and producing the films she has also starred since “Never Been Kissed” (1999) through her production company Flower Films. Drew Barrymore delivers a visually exciting film for the action sequences of roller derby and captures the essence of friendship, family, and determining factors of the direction of one’s life through the eyes of a 17 year olds’ journey to fulfillment.
 “Whip It”, starring Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, Marcia Gay Harden, Alia Shawkat, Juliette Lewis, Daniel Stern, and Kristen Wiig.
Directed by Drew Barrymore; written by Shauna Cross; Rated PG-13 for sexual content including crude dialogue, language and drug material. Fox Searchlight Pictures release; Runtime: 110 Minutes. |
