We just got back from seeing "Whip It!", which is SO much fun! It's Drew Barrymore's directorial debut and it's about Ellen Page's Bliss Cavendar discovering a roller derby league in Austin, Texas.
You have got to give it to Drew, she can pick a project and the casting was spot on for every single role. On the track Drew herself is a charming maniac, Juliette Lewis was particularly inspired as the bitchy "Iron Maven", and Andrew Wilson (who will always be Beef Supreme in the Alien Spouse house) is just the most patient coach ever. Off the track Cavendar's parents are played by Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern, do I even need to say how great they are? I thought not. Plus Alia Shawkat as Bliss' best friend Pasha is so sweetly rebellious and fun, she's so great at running good girl interference to help her friend do what she wants.
I loved Ellen Page in this, and her journey from a reluctant beauty pageant queen to a rough tough roller derby jammer via a pair of Barbie rollerboots is really enjoyable to watch and oddly touching.
Mainly it was a well constructed film about a group of strong women having a great time on their own terms and covered in great tattoos, fishnets and attitude. What is not to love?
Oh, and the sound track was rocking!
Yeah, I kind of liked it. I s'pose, it was alright. (Squeee!)
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