Thoroughly Enjoyable

Rating: 7/10 (27 September 2009)

Whip It is a slightly different take on the traditional coming-of-age tale. The story itself would have been pretty forgettable if not for its great cast and the fact that most of the film revolves around the memorable backdrop of the roller derby in Austin, Texas.
We get all of the standard elements of any teenage angst story: the parents who just don't get it, the popular kids who pick on the unpopular protagonist, the well-adjusted-but-equally-unpopular best friend, and so on. The plot itself is fairly predictable. And the "girl power" image promoted by this film feels a bit stale.
But Whip It is still a blast to watch, despite these flaws. Ellen Page is a delight, as always (although I fear she's in danger of becoming typecast). The supporting cast members were also enjoyable, especially Alia Shawkat, Andrew Wilson, and Kristen Wiig.
The tone of the film strikes a good balance between light-hearted humor and sincere drama. A few scenes border on being melodramatic, but they don't subtract that much from the overall experience.
The high-school characters in Whip It aren't necessarily the best role models, but their misbehavior probably won't be anything earth-shattering to any of today's high schoolers. At least we're left with a positive message about the importance of getting along with your family, no matter how difficult it can be at times.
And we're introduced to the roller derby culture, which comes off as a unique, entertaining, and inclusive social scene. After watching this movie, I'm tempted to see if there are any roller derby events in my area.
Whip It probably isn't going to win any major awards, but it's well worth two hours of your time, and it holds its own against other coming-of-age comedy-dramas.