Leaving the theater post seeing Whip It, I had this giddy, inspired feeling. Not because the film had an incredibly deep and meaningful message, but mainly because it was full of lively character, humor, and youth culture which is highly relatable being an Austinite.
The film starred Ellen Page as Bliss Cavender, a distraught teen discovering her passion to become a roller derby chick, in high contrast to her mother's hopes of her being a beauty pageant queen. Page plays the nerdy but cool teen's part well, surprise surprise, as do her other spunky, tattooed, free-spirited, derby team mates. The film includes a love interest of Bliss Cavender's played by Landon Pigg, a wise derby coach played by the charming Andrew Wilson, an arch-nemesis by Juliette Lewis, a perverse and comical derby announcer played by Jimmy Fallon and teammates including hip-hop diva Eve, and a spunky Drew Barymore who directed the flick also.
The film was Barymore's director debut, and although some may hold her to high, difficult standards, to my knowledge of how to direct film-making she did an average job. While most of the film was shot in Michigan, Barymore's interest in Austin was apparent in the plot (The Derby is held in Austin, while Bliss and her family are from Bodine, Texas), various artsy shots of Congress, Guadalupe and South Lamar, and countless allusions made to the city i.e. South Congress vintage shopping, stoners, and all around out-there, quirky personalities. Aside from the characterization, the skating--both minimally violet and sexual, was entertaining to watch.
In the end, the film made me want to pick up a pair of skates, throw on some fishnets, dye my hair purple and learn how to take a hit or two just for the day. Not bad Barymore...
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