fun enjoyable movie

Rating: 8/10 (29 January 2016)

Shy Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is an outsider in the conservative town of Bodeen, Texas. Her former pageant winning mother Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden) insists on entering her and her sister. While on a shopping trip with her mother to Austin, she is taken by some roller derby girls. With the help of her friend Pash (Alia Shawkat), she goes to see them. Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig) tells her to be her own hero. She lies about her age and makes it on a team.
Ellen Page has big time charisma in her little stature. I love her friendship with Pash and her relationship with her mother. The story is very standard sports and coming-of-age movie. I like the team and their chemistry. I like their coach Razor. On the other hand, the boyfriend is too much of a standard indie rocker guy. He's an unimaginative character. Drew Barrymore's directing is good for a relative novice. Overall, this is a fun enjoyable movie with a lovely star.