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by Bill Jones, published on February 22, 2010 Whip It is a great bit of stay at home on a crappy Saturday night and feel good watching a fun movie kind of entertainment. Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut isn’t the kind of film that will artistically wow many audiences. But its roller derby action is fun, and its story, while cliché, is an endearing coming-of-age story well told. And at the heart of Whip It’s success is a great cast. whipitboxBliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is a girl trapped in the world of beauty queens, following the path her mother (Marcia Gay Harden), once trekked. It’s not hard to tell how burdensome her mother can be, giving the poor girl a name like Bliss Cavendar. Bliss is on the ledge of rebellion, having shown up to a pageant with blue hair on a dare, when she sneaks out with a friend one night to see the roller derby in Austin, Texas. So enough, Bliss Cavendar becomes “Babe Ruthless” with a spot on the team. She finds herself, a release from small-town life, and even promises of love through her new hobby. Of course, she’s technically too young to be out on the roller rink without parental permission, though her teammates don’t know that, even as she becomes the poster girl for the sport. This causes a problem, as her parents wouldn’t be too approving of the endeavor, even as her dad sneaks away to watch sports in his van. Though it’s a secret she surely can’t keep forever. Roller derby stardom isn’t exactly the easiest thing to hide, especially when the championship falls on the same day as a pageant. And her dreamy boyfriend who plays in a band has to spend some time away from her on the road. Of course, all of these things will come to roost to test her mettle as a person, and make her stronger in the end. A big nod must be given to Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis-Wagner, who did a stellar job of casting the film. Ellen Page gives a grounded, realistic performance as Bliss. Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development) makes for a good best friend, while Carlo Alban plays a great role as the manager of the diner where they both work. He’s a quirky Ecuadorian, who does a nice job of playing up the role of a young guy with management responsibility who still wants to have fun, while being strange, but not crossing totally over into the territory of Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. Then there’s Marcia Gay Harden as the stern mother, somewhat living her hopes and dreams through her child, but nonetheless loving of her daughter. Daniel Stern also has a touching role as her father, coming a long way since playing one of the Wet Bandits in Home Alone. Kristen Wiig uses her quirky performance to help act as the fun but wise elder liaison between Bliss and the crazy world of roller derby. Possibly the best choice, though, is Jimmy Fallon. Fans who hate his comedy may actually appreciate his role in Whip It even more, as he really plays to the stupid jokes and need to be the center of attention as the announcer for the derby. The Blu-ray video is solid, and more impressive is the audio. It doesn’t make quite as much use of the rear channels as one might hope considering the subject matter, but the Master Audio track provides a full-bodied sound that mixes dialogue with ambiance well, to bring the bombastic action of the derby to life. The special features are very basic, but Blu-ray fans do get some extra mileage out of the purchase. A writer’s featurette and soundtrack spot are both extra, though the former is more worthwhile than the latter. Source: www.buzzfocus.com |
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© 2006-2010 Dominik Keppner
© 2006-2010 Dominik Keppner
