Movie Reviews: "Whip It"

(Originally written Sunday, October 04, 2009).
 
Drew Barrymore, I love your derby (A review of "Whip It")

Last week I had the pleasure of seeing another great film, Whip It. I almost didn't go, and then changed my mind at the last moment when my buddy (and fellow movie lover) Joey Vee graciously offered to drive. I got the typical barrage of comments from buddies beforehand, like "You're going to see that?! It's a chick flick, dude!"
However, upon viewing of the entire movie, I have to say that Drew Barrymore has constructed a solid piece of film.

Whip It, based on the novel "Derby Girl", stars Ellen Page as Bliss, a shy emo girl who lives in the bustling town of Bodeen, Texas. The only so called excitement in her life is working for a small crummy diner whose local specialty is the "Squealer" sandwich, and being forced to compete in pageants by her obsessive mother. This all changes when she discovers a flyer for a roller derby event in nearby Austin and decides to attend with her best friend Pash. Yes, the girl's name is Pash. Until the credits, I went the whole movie swearing that I thought her name was "Patch", but I suppose the lack of pirate eyewear or a ginormous facial mole eliminates that possibility. She does however have a multitude of freckles. A multitude.

The story then becomes a mixture of comedy, drama, and superb storytelling, as scenes shift from the tension between Bliss and her mother, the roller derby team she becomes a part of, and a love interest that develops between her and the singer for a local band. His presence was my only tiny gripe of the movie, as I had a strong desire to punch him in the face when I saw him onscreen. Such is the case with the front-men of most indie bands, though.

Make no mistakes about it, this movie is going to be compared to Juno. The storyline and the humor are both very hip, so if you liked Juno, you will like this. However, I have to say I personally enjoyed the characters and casting in Whip It more. In this film, Ellen Page's character is less of a know it all, and more of an introvert who just happens to have witty comebacks. There's less of that Juno style Diablo Cody dialogue where the high school characters say the most unbelievably goofy things, and more genuine conversation that happens to be funny and well timed. The camera shots in this film are also superb, putting you right in front of the girls during the action scenes.

Whip It has a multitude of gifted actors, such as Zoe Bell as one of the derby girls, and Daniel Stern, who I don't think has starred in anything since I saw Bushwhacked. Jimmy Fallon as the announcer for the roller derby games has some great one liners, a sign that YES HE CAN...still be funny. Lastly, my favorite of the movie was Kristen Wiig, aka "Maggie Mayhem" who is amazing as a derby girl with a tough spirit who ends up acting as a role model and parental figure to Bliss.

Dare I say, the movie was almost like watching a John Hughes classic, intertwining great comedic moments with a touching coming of age storyline. While the label of chick flick is technically appropriate for Whip It, the story is unique with enough twists and plenty of humor that even a guy such as myself is willing to rave about it and recommend it to my friends.

I would give this movie an 8.5/10.