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"Whip It" is surprisingly good in spite of itself,
conventional as a sports movie yet mature in its development
of character. It's also an entertaining spectacle, which
is relief for me since I've never given much thought to
women's Roller Derby (or even sports in general, but that's
a topic for another day). ***
Drew Barrymore has done well to hype it as her directorial
debut; she proves that she not only has the technical skills,
but also the ability to move a story along through dialogue,
pacing, and emotion. Having practically grown up in front
of the camera, I think it's safe to assume she knows a thing
or two about what a film needs in order for it to work.
The first thing she did right was cast Ellen Page, who has
repeatedly demonstrated just how versatile an actress she
is. ***
She's no exception here. She plays seventeen-year-old
Bliss Cavendar, who was raised in a middle-of-nowhere Texas
town and gets by as a diner waitress. Her overbearing mother,
Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden), a product of a very different
set of standards, pressures Bliss into competing in beauty
pageants, believing you have to make do with what you've
got when you're young and attractive. ***
When Bliss is made aware of a Roller Derby match in
nearby Austin, she decides to go and see what all the fuss
is about. Lo and behold, she likes what she sees. She then
meets Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), a teammate for the Hurl
Scouts, and is encouraged to try out for the team. Maggie
is one of several teammates that has adopted a clever nickname;
some of the other Hurl Scouts are Smashley Simpson (Drew
Barrymore), Rosa Sparks (Eve), and the Manson Sisters (Kristen
Adolfi and Rachel Piplica). ***
Under the guise of taking an SAT studies class, Bliss
sneaks away to Austin every week for practice. Conflict
abounds: Not only have the Hurl Scouts never won a single
game, Bliss' teammates are also unaware that she's underage
(you have to be twenty-one in order to be considered for
Roller Derby). ***
By the time she starts participating in matches, she
develops a rivalry with Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis), the
confrontational leader of undefeated champions of Roller
Derby, the Holy Rollers. Nevertheless, Bliss has never felt
more alive. At long last, she has found something she loves
to do, and she does it with people she enjoys being around.
Eventually, she will have to find and maintain that delicate
balance between her passion, her family, and her life back
home, a process that isn't as easy as it might seem. ***
One could see this film just for the satisfaction of
watching an uplifting, inspirational sports film, as has
been done so many times before. For me, what made this movie
so enjoyable were the characters, most so interesting and
well developed that they seemed authentic. Bliss, for example,
is willful and determined, yet not so haughty that she only
seems like a spoiled brat. There's a remarkably tender side
to her, and yes, some of it is reserved for her mother.
***
It would have been easy to write Brooke as a controlling,
spiteful stereotype, but all of that is avoided--despite
having unrealistic expectations and a dated ideal of successful
womanhood, she genuinely cares about her daughter, and we
sense that all throughout. The only character who poses
a bit of a problem is Bliss' father, Earl (Daniel Stern),
seemingly included just for the sake of physically and morally
clashing with his wife. ***
Other characters function as quirky interludes, like
Bliss' supportive best friend, Pash (Alia Shawkat), the
Hurl Scouts' eccentric coach, Razor (Andrew Wilson), and
the boisterous Roller Derby announcer, "Hot Tub" Johnny
Rocket (Jimmy Fallon). The screenplay even has room for
a teen romance between Bliss and a guitarist named Oliver
(Landon Pigg), who eventually swaps his coat for Bliss'
Stryper tee shirt (which she claims is the only cool thing
her mother ever gave her). ***
Most of these characters, the last one especially,
are expected, as is the inevitable final match between the
Hurl Scouts and the Holy Rollers. And yet, it all comes
together smoothly, making for a fun and endearing film that
you'll want to see through to the end. ***
The game sequences are quite effective on their own,
not only because of the well choreographed skating maneuvers,
but also because of the camerawork; every shot exploits
the spectacle that is Roller Derby, gliding in time with
the actors as they zoom over and around each other on an
inclined track. Other shots reveal the grungy feel of a
Roller Derby event, from the makeshift arena to the ramshackle
benches to the screaming fans, most of whom look no older
than twenty. This is interesting in and of itself, given
the fact that, save for Bliss, all the teammates are in
their early to late thirties; one of them even has a young
son. ***
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