‘Whip It’ Runs On Grrl Power
Posted by meredith on 10-05-2009
I set the bar pretty high for “Whip It” back in July when the trailer came out. From those brief two minutes, I caught a glimpse of a quirky, empowering teen movie with a must-own soundtrack and pretty much let myself get hooked. So, was I right on all counts? Sort of. Warning: some vague spoilers ahead..
Like I gathered back then, Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is a frustrated teen champing at the bit to get out of her small Texas town and the beauty pageant circuit her mother has pushed on her since before she had a choice (her kid sister is already bringing home trophies). When she discovers roller derby in Austin and a new family of cool older-sister-type teammates including captain Maggie Mayhem (SNL’s Kristen Wiig) and Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore who also directed), her world literally opens up. With a little parental deception and a lot of team spirit, we watch Bliss morph into her scrappy Roller Derby alter ego Babe Ruthless.
It’s not a perfect film (more on that), but there are lots of positives –most endearing of which are the female relationships at its center. Especially the dynamic between Bliss and her best friend Pash (“Arrested Development’s” Alia Shawkat). With the giddy highs, self-involved lows, and constant underlying love, the bond rang true enough to make me want to call up my own high school BFF afterwards. The mother-daughter tension is almost equally authentic (though perhaps a little too neatly resolved) and a powerful performance by Marcia Gay Harden saves the role of pageant mom from cliche territory. Last, but not least, Kristen Wiig deserves a hat tip for her scene stealing turn as Bliss’ mentor/cheerleader (or jeerleader as I’ve heard them called in derby circles).
Speaking of.. I could have done with less of the romantic subplot with lanky, bland rocker Oliver, and more behind-the-scenes derby action. With so much potential talent, it was a shame to see it go so underused. For instance, I silently cheered when I saw Ari Gaynor (Nick and Norah’s Caroline) introduced as Eva Destruction, but when her character hardly developed after that, the bit part felt like a tease (same goes for all of Bliss’ teammates besides for Wiig). It seemed like Drew Barrymore went through all the trouble of casting a diverse ensemble of women to play these kick-ass athletes, but offered little more than a glimpse into them as individuals or the world of the sport. [See this Double X piece for more on what "Whip It" missed about roller derby culture.]
Still, in spite those slight disappointments, the film made me smile and the soundtrack (a mix of old and new indie-esque tunes) made me swoon. All in all, a solid alterna-girls’ night out flick.
For those of you who saw the movie feel free to agree or disagree in the comments.
Side note: I’m curious to know if any teen or college-aged viewers will be inspired to seek out their own local Derby teams. Either as spectators or new additions to the team…
Categorized under: Movies & Music