#27 - Whip It

The first movie directed by Drew Barrimore, "Whip It", tells the story of Bliss, a 17 year old girl bored as hell in her small town in Texas. She's waitressing to get extra money and competing in the beauty pageants her mother enters her in. One day she hears of a women roller derby occurring nearby and decides to take a look with her best friend. She feels immediately attracted to this wild and tough environment where the 'no rules' rule seem to apply. She goes to the recruiting session and gets on the delirious team, without her psychorigid mother and oblivious father knowing.

I loved this film, it's fresh, it's original and classic at the same time, it's funny without being shallow, the music is good.
The cast was well chosen, particularly the mother (Marcia Gay Harden, whom I had seen in Into the Wild, Mona Lisa Smile, or Meet Joe Black). I think she gives just the right amount of anger, suffering, support and loving the mother of a teenager holds.
Drew Barrimore is absolutely perfect in the movie. Her character is present yet discreet. She's not the director who in fact wants to be the lead actor. She's not even the lead second role, but more like a supportive character who operates in shadow. I don't know why, but I loved that.
And, of course, Ellen Page, the rising star of the years 2000. Perfect in Juno, excellent in X-Men The Last Stand, she's so likeable I could sink in every story she's in within minutes.

Go see it, it's good entertainment and you'll spend a good time.