Bland proficiency might be enough in some cases, but whip it delves into the underground roller derby scene, and the speed, violence, and sexploitative mayhem associated with the sport really needs to pop. In bodeen, texas, an indierock loving misfit finds a way of dealing. In the sport of roller derby, sometimes you need to throw a hit, which is exactly what it sounds like. Lionsgateallstar t he bruising sport of highspeed, competitive rollerskating goes back to the 1920s and roller derbies have waxed and waned. Whip it is definitely not another brainless teen comedy, although there are plenty of laughs in this story of a 17yearold texas girl who joins the roller derby. Drew barrymore dons directors skates for whip it the. And although it used the game as a consistent backdrop, it really was about one young girl finding her own place in the world. Whip it is an unreasonably entertaining movie, causing you perhaps to revise your notions about womens roller derby, assuming you have any. Yet it is this very sense of freedom associated with real roller derby uniforms that allows for a sense of creativity that is often not possible with other movies. Roller derby traces its roots all the way back to the 1880s. Almost everyone in the roller derby community has seen the film whip it. First of all, ive watched the trailer probably like 5 times.
Ellen page juno as bliss, a rebellious texas teen who throws in her small town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby. The film follows the journey of rebellious bliss ellen page as she battles convention to become a rollergirl heroine and figure out what she wants from life along the way. Most people think its two teams of hostile, pushy women slamming into each other for maximum injury, right. The film also stars barrymore, alia shawkat, marcia gay harden, daniel stern, carlo alban, landon pigg, jimmy fallon, kristen wiig, zoe bell, eve, andrew wilson. Whip it is a 2009 sportsthemed dramedy film directed by drew barrymore, adapted from writer shauna maggie mayhem cross 2007 novel derby girl. Intrigued, she and her friend pash alia shawkat attend a roller derby bout under the pretense of going to a football game, where they see the holy. It takes a lot of dedication, training,determination and time. Drew barrymores directorial debut opens at a regal pageant, where bliss arrives late on stage with her brunette crowning glory dyed blue. Whip it hats off to drew barrymore for directoring a fantastic look into the world of roller derby. Back then, marathon skating competitions were held for cash prizes. Drew barrymoredirected roller derby film eh, looks good for at least one viewing when it comes out on dvd. The actioncomedy stars left to right kristen wiig, barrymore, zoe bell, eve, ellen page, andrew wilson and.
The film, starring ellen page as a misfit teen who joins a roller derby team in texas, has been credited with reviving the sport after it fell out of favor in the 1970s. In effect, thomas goes beyond the costume design requirements of many movies, and creates a sort of roller derby couture for whip it. Thats obvious from the second you see the outfits the derby women wear. Roller derby queens rip it up in whip it, the new movie from director drew barrymore. Barrymores direction is an oaf, lumbering around the screenplay, which, in comparison, seems downright rigorous. Best known as skater jackie daniels for local roller derby league the grand raggidy roller girls, bockheim has landed a gig in front of the camera for pages rollerderby film whip it. After seeing this movie, you almost know what a derby high is. Whip it is an unreasonably entertaining movie, causing you perhaps to revise your notions about womens roller derby, assuming you have. The directorial debut of drew barrymore, stars ellen page juno as bliss, a rebellious texas teen who throws in her small town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby. See more ideas about whip it movie, roller derby and movies.
It was during this time that the skating contests began to be called roller derby. Stuntwoman zoe bell talks whip it, tarantinos genius mind. Whip it is a 2009 american sports comedydrama film directed by drew barrymore in her. With ellen page, drew barrymore, kristen wiig, sarah habel. Drew barrymores directorial debut whip it isnt due in theaters until oct. In hong kong, roller derby gives women an outlet to defy. And it was a driving main reason why many joined a league. Much like the remainder of the film, the roller derby scenes in whip it give gawk a whole new meaning. Youll laugh, youll cry but most of all youll watch it again because this comingofage film has a certain charm you just cant resist. Many of the skaters in the movie are on detroits derby team.
Bliss discovers roller derby, goes to tryouts on a whim, and ends up making the team and. Juliette lewis and ellen page in whip it 2009 daniel stern at an event for. Women of roller derby on right track in whip it newsday. The film stars ellen page as a 17year old reluctant beauty pageant contestant named bliss cavendar in bodeen, texas, who discovers and falls in love with the austin roller derby circuit. Whip it is a 2009 american sports comedydrama film directed by drew barrymore in her directorial debut and written by shauna cross, based on her novel derby girl.
Whip it, despite its potential, is not a great roller derby movie. It stars ellen page as a teenager from the fictional town of bodeen, texas, who joins a roller derby team. So many movies with a domineering parent and a rebellious teen take one side or the other. Shauna crosss whip it was named an american library association best book for young adults and quick pick for young adults, a yalsa best book for young adults, and a new york public library book for the teen age. Ellen page goes from beauty queen to roller derby icon in drew barrymores directorial with whip it the directorial debut of drew barrymore she stars as a. Marcia gay harden mystic river, pollock plays bliss disapproving mother, while kristen wiig saturday night live and juliette lewis old school play roller derby stars. The movie is a comingtogether of two free spirits, drew barrymore and ellen page, and while it may not reflect the kind of female empowerment gloria steinem had in mind, it has guts, charm, and a blackandblue sweetness. Celebration cinema north, 2121 celebration drive ne tickets. When whip it came outthe film about roller derby it made it seem super cool, wong says.
Set in the exciting but lessfamiliar world of womens roller derby racing, the film, which also stars the everdelightful ellen page in her first role since juno, should perform exceptionally. In her directorial debut, drew barrymore fails to throw a hit but whip it scrapes. Whip it 2009 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. See more ideas about roller derby, derby and roller derby girls.
Watch me whip, watch me skate skate, roller derby shirt, roller derby gift, derby gift, roller derby clothing headlinegoods 4. She cross skated under the name maggie mayhem with a team of rogue cops called the sirens. My heart especially goes out to the north carolina roller girls. Roller derby is depicted as a sport that combines roughandtumble action with a high degree of sexualization and objectification. Can drew barrymore whip the roller derby genre into shape. Grand rapids skaters roll em in drew barrymore movie. Not only is this about a young 17 year olds struggle with finding herself after years of forced pagent participation, its a story of friendship, first love and best of all finding the courage to take a chance on a dream. The actress drew barrymore has directed her first film, whip it, about a teenager portrayed by ellen page on the roller derby circuit. In bodeen, texas, land of the dragon, an indierock loving misfit finds a way of dealing with her smalltown misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby austin.
Is not the best roller derby film out there, when i sat down a few nights ago to re watch it for the first time in over a year, i cried at the same parts. Meetandgreet with members of grand rapids roller derby league and a screening of whip it when. Ellen page as bliss shows us a world where everybody can be tough and where a team becomes a family. Whip it is a 2009 american sports comedydrama film directed by drew barrymore in her directorial debut and written by shauna cross, based on her novel derby. Drew barrymore, director and roller derby girl time. Its been well established that drew barrymore is both adorable and a free spirit. In bodeen, texas, an indierock loving misfit finds a way of dealing with her smalltown misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby austin.
The film is coproduced by barrymore and barry mendel. The fastpaced sport of roller derby takes center stage in drew barrymores new film whip it. Bliss is curious about joining the roller derby team while in austin, tx for the derby event, but her friend, pash, is doubtful about her actually trying out for the team. It is now a major motion picture directed by drew barrymore.
Drew barrymore knows films shes being doing it all her life and this may. However, in focusing on what it isnt a great roller derby movie, one runs the risk of missing what it is an empowering and. Im more of a fan of the old school roller derby of the 70s when joanie weston of the bay bombers ruled the track. No visibly queer characters are included in the film, which is unrealistic for a sport known for its lgbtq. Grand raggidy roller girls featured in movie whip it. Bliss is a rebellious texas teen who throws in her smalltown beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby. Create a roller derby name on the whip it websitemine. To that end, it does seem that most of the people involved in the film were having a fun time of it. Whip it, the new drew barrymoredirected movie about buttkicking roller derby girls, is one of the best guiltypleasure movies ive seen in a while despite its formulaic plot line. Anyone who has seen the 2009 film whip it or any of the 1970s and 80s depictions of the sport have probably formed an idea about what they think roller derby is. Things change for bliss when she discovers a womens roller derby league in austin, tries out, proves to be whip fast, and makes a team. And a sense of perfect timing, given what appears to be roller derby s international comeback thousands crammed into a whip it event in this citys dundas square during the recent film festival. Who else could show up to the toronto premiere of her first directorial effort, the roller derby themed film whip it, with a hairdo that looked like something put together by a bored joliepitt child during an unsupervised hour at the chateau. Yet while this weeks drew barrymoredirected, grrrlpowered rollerderby film whip it is garnering positive critical buzz, its only the latest in a who would have guessed.
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