Movie Primer: Whip it

This is a short primer for hardcore comedy Whip It. The movie will roll into theaters on October 2nd. The trailer for this film can be found at http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/whipit/

The Plot: Bliss is your typical teenager who can't help feeling stuck. She has trouble connecting with the people around her and is constantly at odds with her mother who wants her to be a beauty queen. She finds her way to escape her boring life when she discovers the roller derby and runs away to Austin to be a hardcore roller derby girl. Does Bliss have the courage and the will to make it on her own and survive the brutal yet fun life of a Derby Girl?

Star Power: Though Whip It has a huge cast of comedy and acting veterans, including the director Drew Barrymore, the star of the show is Ellen Page. This is Ellen's first leading role since her head turning performance in Juno but a lot of people had been watching her career with interest ever since Hard Candy. Playing her mother is Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden. Playing roller derby girls are musician Eve, Juliet Lewis and SNL alum Kristen Wiig.

Behind the Screen: Whip it is the directorial debut of actress Drew Barrymoore. By the looks of things it's a long time coming. Drew did triple duty for this film, working as a producer and acting as a roller derby girl so that she would not ask anyone in the film to do something she wasn't willing to try herself. Shauna Cross who is a real derby girl that goes by the name Maggie Mayhem and previously wrote a book called Derby Girl writes the screenplay. Both the book and this new film are fictional stories based on her real life experiences with the team The Texas Rollergirls.

What to expect: Sure there is going to be a little bit of drama and romance. Most likely the acting is going to be stellar and Drew is going to show us that she has talent as director. Most of this entire movie looks fun. There is the joyous, playful attitude that seeps from every scene. Ellen Page is charming and cute. The Derby girls are wild and adventurous. In the end there might be messages hidden in this film like "girls can do anything boys can," or "be your own hero!" but the real point of this movie seems to be to live your life and most of all have fun doing it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1172233/
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/whipit/