In her directorial debut Drew Barrymore brings us the uplifting tale of small town Texan misfit Bliss Cavendar, played by the excellent Ellen Page (Juno). Lacking direction and hating the beauty pageants that her mother insists she enter, she’s a bit of a lost soul. Both she and her friend Pash want to escpae the small town drudgery but whilst Pash is applying to Ivy League schools as her method of escape, Bliss has no such compulsion.
However, whilst on a shopping trip to Austin she comes across a flyer for an all girl roller derby, which she goes to under the pretence of attending a football game. It’s a life changing moment. Returning to the city later she decides to try out for the ‘Hurl Scouts’ (a team who have never won a game) after being encouraged by a member to “put some skates on, be your own hero.” Despite only owning roller boots with Barbie on, she’s determined to become part of this sassy all girl club, so she’s gets practicing and eventually ends up the fastest girl in the team, with some coaching from Razor who’s played by Andrew Wilson (brother of Luke & Owen).
Featuring a cracking cast which also includes Marcia Gay Harden and Juliette Lewis, the trailer appears engaging, empowering and upbeat without seeming overly contrived. In other words, it looks like the perfect movie for gals who don’t do chick flicks.
Whip It is released on 7th April in the UK.