Roller Heroines!!!

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2012)

Drew Barrymore made a corker for her freshman effort! "Whip It" is all about empowering women and this is the best roller blade movie ever. Everything seems to come together without a flaw as Ellen Page heads up an all-star cast and the casting and performance really make this movie memorable, whether it is Daniel Stern as our heroine's father or Kristen Wigg as Maggie Mayhem, there isn't a bad performance. Ellen Page is terrific as a high school girl who just cannot seem to find her niche in life. Of course, her mom has her sights set on her lovely daughter becoming a beauty pageant queen so she can land a good husband, get into a great college, and enjoy the benefits of a well-earned life. However, beauty pageants are NOT a part of Bliss Cavander's agenda in life. The minute that she spots three gals careening into a thrift/head shop in Austin, Texas, Bliss knows what she wants to do is roller blade. Sadly, this inspirational little sports epic didn't generate stellar box office receipts, but it is worth watching for its oddball characters and its general thematic material. Sport movies fall into two types: those where the team is triumphant against overwhelming odds and those where the team isn't as successful against overwhelming odds. "Whip It" occupies the latter category.