Whip It, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, centers around Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page of Juno), a rebellious teen who takes up, of all things, roller skating. But beware - don't expect girls in sparkling blue dresses. Roller skating turns rough-n-tumble, as Bliss' friends spend their time playing roller derby - which looks like women's rugby on wheels.
The Hurl Scouts, as they are affectionately known, race around the rink dressed like punk rockers and, intrigued, Bliss wants in. Her speed gets her a spot on the team as "Babe Ruthless" but she eventually finds that family, friends and skating clash - a classic teen angst plot line.
With this in mind, Whip it is somewhat predictable. Bliss is forced to lie to her parents about her new hobby, but the characterization of her parents as overly caring makes it clear that in the end, she will not face serious consequences for betraying their trust.
Similarly, Bliss' relationship with her friend, the guitar-playing hunk Oliver (Landon Pigg), is teen-flick inevitable once she develops a crush on him. Although these love and friendship sub-plots are conventional, the roller derby proves to be the saving grace of this film - making it rebellious rather than stereotypically "coming of age."
The actual skating itself gives the film its unique feel: The camera tightly follows the circular rink, while viewers hang on the rails as the girls run violent plays. These sequences were impressive, especially because the girls did most of it themselves. They manage to make it look realistic and painful, a thrilling experience for viewers.
We see in the film that the Hurl Scouts are used to hitting but not winning. Luckily, Bliss helps them work their way up the ranks - and it is no surprise that they end up loving their newest, albeit most inexperienced, player.
The viewer does, too; Ellen Page fans will not be disappointed. In Juno, Page is far from your typical Hollywood actress. She stood out not for her looks but also for her dry sarcasm and humor. In Whip It, Bliss is just as funny and independent as Juno, but we get to see her softer side as she tries to balance her old life with her derby life. It is hard not to identify with her desire to get away from her parents and their ideals.
On the other hand, Bliss' love interest, Oliver, does not match up to the adorable Michael Cera of Juno. Bliss' crush on Oliver is understandable - he's the lead singer of a band and has wavy, blonde hair. But other than cheering her on at games, he barely says two words to her. Bliss and Oliver do have chemistry, but the match seems to be established on a purely physical basis. Alternatively, Page and Cera's conversations in Juno were a lot more entertaining. Oliver does shine as a singer, which is apparently why Barrymore chose him. Along with Oliver's band, the film's edgy soundtrack features talented underground bands such as The Raveonettes and Apollo Sunshine. The songs are catchy and highlight the unconventional personality we see in Bliss throughout the film.
When I heard Whip It was Barrymore's first go as a director, I was needlessly skeptical. The film is visually mature, though, making Barrymore look more like a promising director than a new one. Whip It's happy ending is expected, but you will probably like the film for its unique premise and quirky characters. It might even make you whip out those roller skates.
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