Whip It (2009)

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Whip It follows Bliss, a teen who is looking to get away from her mother's idee fixe of the débutante lifestyle, who finds herself accepted into a roller derby team. The film is inspiring, amusing, and has a rebellious yet warm spirit. All of the characters were very well developed,especially as it shows the change in relationship between Bliss and her parents, as they both come around to each other's viewpoints. Kristen Wiig was phenomenal as Maggie Mayhem, a positive role model and friend to Bliss, and Ellen Page showed off her great as usual acting ability as she reacted to the actions of those around her. Whip It was incredible in every way, from plot to characters to directing to acting. While not the film would not necessarily fit right into the 'chick flick' genre, the focus on a mostly female cast does a wonderful job of portraying girl power, and emphasizes the fact that females don't need "that special man" in their life to succeed or be happy. This hidden gem of a movie is well worth a watch.

For every sport there's surely a movie, and that's pretty cool. This movie has the typical "child wants to do something that parents don't approve of" plot so I can't really say it's anything new, but it is well-made and has a good cast. Ellen Page is the apex of faux high school actresses, but she gives up here "Juno" snark for actual passion (which is quite ironic as Alia Shawkat's character is named "Pash"). The roller derby is fun to watch, especially with Jimmy Fallon as the announcer. I was kinda ticked to see another movie about beauty pageants, but oh well. Marcia Gay Harden was very good as a mother who wants her kids to be like she was, but I just didn't feel any love between her and Page. Overall, it's an interesting movie but I wouldn't really want to watch it again.

Whip It is a movie starring Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar which primarily focuses on her quest to find herself despite the many inner conflicts being stirred up by her mother. Her mother, Brooke Cavendar, is played by Marcia Gay Harden. Bliss's mother wants nothing more than for her daughter to become a success in the pageant world but it is clear very quickly that this is not the world in which Bliss belongs. Bliss's father, Earl Cavendar as played by Daniel Stern is more lenient and proves himself to want nothing more than for his daughter to be happy. There are several struggles between him and his wife Brooke displayed in the film. Bliss becomes familiar with the world of roller derby when she finds a flyer and somehow makes the team. Roller derby seems to be where she is destined to be and this movie takes the viewer on her journey as she battles with her mother and even some of her team mates to prove herself in this new world of derby. This film also starts some well-known faces including Drew Barry Moore as Smashley Simpson, Jimmy Fallon as Hot Tub Johnny Rocket and rapper, Eve as Rosa Sparks. The film is quirky and although there are some dramatic elements there is plenty of comedy sprinkled in. The film has as elements such as the movie Dogeball from 2004 starring Ben Stiller due to the comedic element and the make character's bought with adversity. The soundtrack to this movie was exceptionally great and with every song playing right on time. The music alone kept me glued to the television screen as I watched this young girl, Bliss, finds herself on this journey. The film was shot in a manner that makes the film seem timeless. The coloring used in the film almost gives the movie an eighties feel. The clothing chosen by the costume designer did not imply a specific era for the movie. The angles of the film during the actual roller derby make the viewer feel engaged and a part of the attending audience. There were some predictable happenings in the film but they were nothing that the unpredictable comedy could not make up for. By the end of the film, the characters become both relatable and likable. This quirky comedy with a classic plot is worth the watch.

Drew Barrymore made a corker for her freshman effort! "Whip It" is all about empowering women and this is the best roller blade movie ever. Everything seems to come together without a flaw as Ellen Page heads up an all-star cast and the casting and performance really make this movie memorable, whether it is Daniel Stern as our heroine's father or Kristen Wigg as Maggie Mayhem, there isn't a bad performance. Ellen Page is terrific as a high school girl who just cannot seem to find her niche in life. Of course, her mom has her sights set on her lovely daughter becoming a beauty pageant queen so she can land a good husband, get into a great college, and enjoy the benefits of a well-earned life. However, beauty pageants are NOT a part of Bliss Cavander's agenda in life. The minute that she spots three gals careening into a thrift/head shop in Austin, Texas, Bliss knows what she wants to do is roller blade. Sadly, this inspirational little sports epic didn't generate stellar box office receipts, but it is worth watching for its oddball characters and its general thematic material. Sport movies fall into two types: those where the team is triumphant against overwhelming odds and those where the team isn't as successful against overwhelming odds. "Whip It" occupies the latter category.