Quirky Comedy is worth the watch!

Rating: 7/10 (8 September 2012)

Whip It is a movie starring Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar which primarily focuses on her quest to find herself despite the many inner conflicts being stirred up by her mother. Her mother, Brooke Cavendar, is played by Marcia Gay Harden. Bliss's mother wants nothing more than for her daughter to become a success in the pageant world but it is clear very quickly that this is not the world in which Bliss belongs. Bliss's father, Earl Cavendar as played by Daniel Stern is more lenient and proves himself to want nothing more than for his daughter to be happy. There are several struggles between him and his wife Brooke displayed in the film. Bliss becomes familiar with the world of roller derby when she finds a flyer and somehow makes the team. Roller derby seems to be where she is destined to be and this movie takes the viewer on her journey as she battles with her mother and even some of her team mates to prove herself in this new world of derby. This film also starts some well-known faces including Drew Barry Moore as Smashley Simpson, Jimmy Fallon as Hot Tub Johnny Rocket and rapper, Eve as Rosa Sparks. The film is quirky and although there are some dramatic elements there is plenty of comedy sprinkled in. The film has as elements such as the movie Dogeball from 2004 starring Ben Stiller due to the comedic element and the make character's bought with adversity. The soundtrack to this movie was exceptionally great and with every song playing right on time. The music alone kept me glued to the television screen as I watched this young girl, Bliss, finds herself on this journey. The film was shot in a manner that makes the film seem timeless. The coloring used in the film almost gives the movie an eighties feel. The clothing chosen by the costume designer did not imply a specific era for the movie. The angles of the film during the actual roller derby make the viewer feel engaged and a part of the attending audience. There were some predictable happenings in the film but they were nothing that the unpredictable comedy could not make up for. By the end of the film, the characters become both relatable and likable. This quirky comedy with a classic plot is worth the watch.