I actually got the oppurtunity to review the non-genre film Whip-It for Moving Pictures.
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| "Whip It," based on the young adult novel "Derby Girl" by former Rollergirl Shauna Cross, chronicles the growing pains of 17-year-old Bliss. The wannabe punk dyes her hair blue and dreams of escaping the small-town world of Bodine, Texas. On a trip to Austin, Bliss encounters her first rollergirls and, unbeknownst to her parents, tries out for the team – and actually makes it. While with the team, she falls for Oliver, a bassist in a band (this is Austin, after all). As is common with coming-of-age comedies, chaos ensues. |
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| For her directorial debut, Drew Barrymore cast "Juno" star Ellen Page as the precocious Bliss. At first, Page’s diminutive size works against the casting, but Barrymore’s excellent direction of the dynamic roller derby scenes successfully employs the actor’s petite frame. Barrymore’s skill behind the camera bolsters all aspects of the film. |
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| While the film’s title actually refers to a roller derby maneuver (a smaller girl uses one of her teammates as a sling shot, literally whipping her ahead of the competition), the wisdom of shelving the novel’s title of "Derby Girl" is curious. Whip-its are illegal delivery devices for nitrous oxide. The title can also be construed as a sexual innuendo. Not to mention the very popular Devo song. |
Check out my entire review.