Whip It! (Drew Barrymore, 2009)

[pianocrash]

Based on the book Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, with first-time direction by Drew Barrymore, staring Ellen Page. Living near Austin until a few years ago, I can neither confirm nor deny the plausibility of or contain my excitement for this film since seeing that one awesome roller derby sequence in Medium Cool. Hopefully Barrymore's state of mind will fit nicely with the Austin work ethic (paid for & laid back), and I kind of wish I still lived there to witness some of the filming.

[Antoine Doinel]

Drew Barrymore starts her research.

Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis and Zoe Bell have joined the cast.

[Antoine Doinel]

Justin Long - a Mac to Barrymore's PC - drops out of the film.

[domino harvey]

He'll always be Warren Cheswick to me

[Antoine Doinel]

The similarly talented Jimmy Fallon steps in for Justin Long.

[rs98762001]

I have a suspicion that this film and the end of the Mayan Calendar are connected.

[Cde.]

You're three years too early.

[Antoine Doinel]

Well, if there will be anything of worth in the film, it will be Mark Mothersbaugh's score.

[CSM126]

Well, if there will be anything of worth in the film, it will be Mark Mothersbaugh's score.

Forget Whip It - there's a movie version of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs? Holy fuck.

[Antoine Doinel]

Mark Mothersbaugh has been fired.

[Soothsayer]

Wonder if she keeps the film's title in tact...

[Jeff]

trailer

[Joe Buck]

I saw this tonight and LOVED it. Great performances. A lot of fun. Hell, I even liked Jimmy Fallon! That's never happened before! I can't wait for the DVD.

[domino harvey]

Got around to watching this one and was won over pretty quickly by the genuine freewheeling fun of the picture. Besides her perhaps not unsurprising humanstic tenancies behind the camera, Barrymore proves a surprisingly adept director of the derby sequences, giving the match sequences a kinetic energy that translates well on the screen. There's nothing even remotely new here in terms of basic plot or characters, but the familiar is made likable and fresh by virtue of the film's upbeat pacing and positive presentation. Sometimes it's really enough to have a movie keep a goofy smile on your face for most of its running time.

[puxzkkx]

This is a lot of fun and a promising, un-self-conscious debut for Barrymore. Love some of the little moments of emotional insight (such as Page breaking down in tears after Lewis threatens blackmail). Marcia Gay Harden is really wonderful in this, turning what looks like a stock character on first glance into a three-dimensional human being.

[mfunk9786]

Got around to watching this one and was won over pretty quickly by the genuine freewheeling fun of the picture. Besides her perhaps not unsurprising humanstic tenancies behind the camera, Barrymore proves a surprisingly adept director of the derby sequences, giving the match sequences a kinetic energy that translates well on the screen. There's nothing even remotely new here in terms of basic plot or characters, but the familiar is made likable and fresh by virtue of the film's upbeat pacing and positive presentation. Sometimes it's really enough to have a movie keep a goofy smile on your face for most of its running time.

I agree with you on this one, Domino, but I think you perhaps aren't even giving it enough credit. The missus and I watched this after taking in the first local roller derby scrimmage after a once-defunct roller rink was re-opened thanks to donations and volunteers. Despite its... amateur status as of yet, it made me want to give an honest effort to watching this film, as it was previously a late night fall-asleep-halfway-through rental. I was pleasantly surprised by how much effort Barrymore puts into doing something interesting with otherwise stereotypical tropes - particularly in the two sequences prior to Bliss' boyfriend departing (in the pool and with the shirt exchange, respectively). They were scenes that are in nearly every movie with a budding little romance, but were done in an original and charming way - and I suppose that the same can be said for the rest of the film, but I say that with reservations. I don't really love the fact that there's a subplot involving meeting a guy here, mainly because team sports films made for men rarely contain these subplots, as the sport is enough life-affirmation for the main character and it's not necessary for a girl to be thrown into the mix.

But I digress - this film is a lot of fun, and the bit players are perfectly chosen - Andrew Wilson proves himself to be the most bafflingly underused Wilson brother out there (and I've always been a big Luke fan, who's career similarly isn't exactly smoldering these days). And Jimmy Fallon goes from "oh boy, here we go" to legitimately humorous and enamoring; sort of like the real life Jimmy Fallon, am I right folks? There are some stunt double issues on the rink (particularly involving Juliette Lewis, who is very obviously not in any scenes involving very kinetic action, which is quite obvious with her cast as a jammer and all). All right, there's not much more analysis that I feel like doing over what is still a minor film, but it's all very good stuff - hopefully Ellen Page being attached to it will have teenage girls (and Dominos) picking this one up over the next several years, they'd be wise to do so.

[domino harvey]

Yeah, we actually have a pretty good bunch of local teams here and the film encouraged me to go check out a few matches and I was the only person in the group I went with who could halfway understand the rules, all thanks to this movie then being fresh in my memory

[tojoed]

I watched this the other night on TV, and I agree with you guys, a really fun way to spend a couple of hours.

It took me about half an hour to realise that the father was played by Daniel Stern.
And he, of course, was a memorable performer in two of the best American coming-of-age films, Diner and Breaking Away. Seems like only yesterday.