Not without quite a few plot problems, but it deserves kudos for daring to be different!

Rating: 6/10 (12 May 2010)

I think it's important to point out that I am 45 years-old and I am sure my 'advanced age' has a big impact on my vote. Had I been a young hipster (grrr...hipsters!), then I am sure I would have enjoyed it much more--and I realize that I am NOT in the target demographic group for this film. Keep this in mind as you read this review.
Ellen Page plays a high school student whose mother (Marcia Gay Harden) lives out her dreams vicariously through her and her younger sister. It is the mother who wants her daughters to be beauty pageant winners and puts all her hopes and dreams on the girls--even though clearly Page hates the life. But, as her mother is quite domineering, Page longs for a change but will never directly deal with her mom. Instead, she sneaks off and creates an alter-ego, 'Babe Ruthless'--an up and coming roller derby star!! Talk about going from one extreme to another!!! While this IS a truly original idea and hooked me, how it was executed caused a lot of problems for me. I mean absolutely no offense to Miss Page--who is a likable actress and quite reminiscent of MTV's "Daria". But, she seems very, very wrong for the part. She isn't pretty in that plastic and perfect way to be a believable beauty pageant contestant. While she is cute, her looks are just not the type for this life. And, as she appears to weigh about 95 pounds, she also is ridiculously cast as a derby participant--particularly since one good hit would most likely kill someone her!! However, I should point out that her character IS interesting. What isn't so interesting are a few of the supporting characters. Her best friend is very, very inconsistent and seemed to need a bit of a re-write. For example, late in the film, this 'friend' sulks off and blames her problems on Page--though this makes no sense and seems more like a plot device than anything else. It's like someone said "wait...we need some conflict in this film....let's have the two girls have a falling out...and, by the end of the film, they can make up!!" (also known as cliché #15). And, while I liked some of the roller girls (such as Juliet Lewis and Drew Barrymore), some seemed a bit one-dimensional--such as the two deaf ladies.
Still, while these complaints are important, the film gets a 'see it' vote from me--simply because the movie IS unique. And, also, while not believable, the film is nice mindless fun and can even be enjoyed by a middle-aged guy like me. Plus, I appreciated how Page's character dealt with the boyfriend at the end of the film--and not like some dishrag! Worth seeing but not life-changing.