Whip It rolls up in the hard knocks of the roller derby rink, but in Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, it isn’t really about the she-demons of derby.
Whip It rolls up in the hard knocks of the roller derby rink, but in Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, it isn’t really about the she-demons of derby. Instead, Whip It is a mother-daughter, coming of age drama, set against a backdrop where confrontation is part of the game, and being a pretty face just won’t cut it (sounds like the perfect recipe for a teenage rebellion film).
Ellen Page, everyone’s favorite grown-up teenager, rebels against her mother, Marcia Gay Harden, and inevitably brings Roller Derby back to the silver screen for the first time in over three decades (the first since 1973’s Kansas City Bomber). The film is a typical rebellion film from Hollywood, but the chemistry between Page and Harden sells an ending that fools no one.
Will Whip It succeed in bringing more people back to the sport, or better yet, will Drew Barrymore be allowed back in the director’s chair again? Only time will tell (though I think both will be a yes), but RVA TV had exclusive access to watch the Whip It pre-screening with the River City Rollergirls. Here’s what went down, and you can see the film for yourself tomorrow:
Speaking of the River City Rollergirls, RVA TV had an opportunity to film at the Robot Chicken Tour during it’s stop at the Rollerdome back in August. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the River City Rollergirls weren’t allowed to promote themselves at the event, and Seth Green backed out of an interview at the last minute to live up to his surname. Nevertheless, the Robot Chicken tour was a blast, and if you missed it, check out our coverage from August:
Whip It
Theatrical Release – Oct. 2, 2009
Director: Drew Barrymore
Cast: Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Juliette Lewis, Daniel Stern, Kristen Wiig, Andrew Wilson, Alia Shawkat, Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore
Screenplay: Shauna Cross, based on her novel Derby Girl
Rating: PG-13; profanity, crude humor, brief sexual and drug content
Running time: 111 min.
