Movie Review #20 Whip It

Whip It (2009) Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden Directed By Drew Barrymore

Dubbed as the"Real Girl" movie of the year by the Huffington Post. I suppose I can agree with them. Whip It, is a solid directorial debut from the always fun if not always great Drew Barrymore. It isn't a top notch comedy and it isn't a special coming of age movie that will stay in your brain for years to come, however it is a nice ride of a film that has a solid amount of humor, a reasonable amount of likable characters (how bout a likable Jimmy Fallon...that doesn't happen often) and a nice find your own self message that resonates with everyone. It is a girl power movie that guys will enjoy as well. (who doesn't love fishnet wearing ladies hitting each other while roller skating?)

The film is the story of Bliss Cavendar (the always lovely and great female roll-model actress) Ellen Page who has gotten fed up with her hick small town Texas life and is bursting to find somewhere that feels like home. She has a love/hate relationship with her hardworking mom (Marcia Gay Harden), who wants Bliss to win the same local beauty pageant that she won some years back, but Bliss really wants no part of it. After meeting some of the Roller Derby ladies at a local event, she is invited to partake in the madness (of course she is). After that, it is a few standard training montages and some other stuff that is all predictable but still fun...you get the idea. The standouts of this film are clearly the (nice to see you again) Juliette Lewis who plays a rival skater (Iron Maven) who tortures the newcomer throughout the film, Kristen Wig (who we love) plays the very awesome Maggie Mayhem, and the talented Alia Shawkat (best known from Arressted Development Mae) as the best friend to Bliss...Pash. It really is a fun and cute film, Ellen Page is easy to watch and the story won't ask your mind to do much. I wasn't sure I would like it that much but found myself very happy with it by the credits (it always makes me like a film more when they look like they all had fun making it). Daniel Stern who plays the dad in this film is also a nice added surprise. I wouldn't say it ventures near greatness, but if your a young girl who thinks she is alone on an island and no one understands (is that all of you?...sorry just kidding)...then I think this movie will bring a smile to your face...and who knows it may even make you search for your old Barbie Skates...?

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10)Barrymore and her first film gets a very solid 6.0 on the scale for shear entertainment an and excellent cast. I will defiantly keep my eye out for her next film. This won't get into any top five of the year talk...but I do certainly recommend this film...especially to the ladies, this one you can drag your boyfriends to.

Food For Thought: I was a little sleepy so I sneaked a Red Bull (sugar-free) and a few Triskets in...as well as a pop-tart (cherry of course). But I would highly recommend that sometime before the month is out go grab yourself some solid Chicken Tiki Masala at your local Indian dinner joint...man I don't eat it enough, but if done right...so good. Up next for Barrymore is the De Niro led Everybody's Fine about a widower on a road trip, and for Page there is a thriller about a train accident called Peacock that costars Cillian Murphy as well as the Dicaprio led Inception directed by Batman Begins alum...Chris Nolan, and if that wasn't enough for you she plans (at 22 years old mind you) to co write and co produce an HBO TV series Snitch N Bitch with one of her co stars (20 year old) Alia Shawkat and Sean Tillman...wow.