Whip It (2009)

In Bodeen, Texas, an indie-rock loving misfit finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.

Director:

Drew Barrymore

Writers:

Shauna Cross (screenplay), Shauna Cross (novel)

Stars:

Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, Kristen Wiig

8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sarah Habel	...	Corbi
Shannon Eagen	...	Amber
Edward Austin Kelly	...	Pageant Coordinator
Mary Callaghan Lynch	...	Val
Ellen Page	...	Bliss Cavendar
Jimmy Fallon	...	'Hot Tub' Johnny Rocket
Alia Shawkat	...	Pash
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Brooke Cavendar
Barbara Coven	...	Pageant Mother
Eulala Scheel	...	Shania Cavendar
Nina Kircher	...	Trudy
Daniel Stern	...	Earl Cavendar
Mark Boyd	...	Ronny
Carlo Alban	...	Birdman
Douglas Minckiewicz	...	Colby (as Doug Minckewicz)

Storyline

In a town near Austin, Bliss Cavendar's strong-willed mom believes Bliss, at 17, can win pageants - the key to a happy life. Bliss isn't the beauty pageant type: she's shy, quiet, and has just one friend, Pash, her fellow waitress at a diner. Things change for Bliss when she discovers a women's roller derby league in Austin, tries out, proves to be whip fast, and makes a team. Now she needs to become someone tough on the rink, keep her parents from finding out where she goes twice a week, and do something about a first crush, on a musician she meets at the derby. Meanwhile, mom still sees Bliss as Miss Bluebonnet. Things are on a collision course; will everyone get banged up?

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | based on novel | tomboy | roller derby | triple f rated | 

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Taglines:

Be Your Own Hero

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content including crude dialogue, language and drug material

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight [United States] Official Facebook [France]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Derby Girl

Filming Locations:

Michigan, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,650,812, 4 October 2009

Gross USA:

$13,043,363

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$16,691,303

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandate Pictures, Vincent Pictures, Flower Films (II)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Manson Sisters were played by Rachel Piplica and Kristen Adolfi - better known as Iron Maiven and Krissy Krash of the Los Angeles Derby Dolls. The pair skated for the Hurl Scouts in the film and in real life skate for the Tough Cookies, the team on which the Scouts were based.

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Goofs

During the championship game, Drew's character is the jammer (has the star sash on her helmet.) After scoring points, the team regroups and a different character is seen removing the sash and giving it to Ellen's character.

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Quotes

Bliss Cavendar: Is this what you do with all the girls? Take them here to show off your skills?
Oliver: Yeah, and it usually works too.
Bliss Cavendar: Oh yeah? Maybe we should do something different.

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Crazy Credits

Bloopers run during closing credits.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Zombieland/A Serious Man/Whip It (2009)

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Soundtracks

You're Not Waitin' at Home Anymore
Written and Performed by Ricky Calmbach

User Reviews

My 299th Review: Redefines The Term Chick Flick - And I Mean That.

In a sense this is a 6 or 7: a kind of kookie inspirational sports movie - fun, energetic, easy to watch and easy to like.

However it gets a 9 because I cannot recall any film that truly takes the conventions that male cinema does so well and wholesale translate them to something that girls will love.

This film isn't sappy but it isn't about masculine heroism - it is about women having a great time being truly what they are - not 1950 prissies, but punky, spikey, ironic, sexy and just plain fun.

Whip It has great roller derby sequences but more than that and more than most male sports movies we get to see the personalities of those involved and they shine.

Drew Barrymore knows films - she's being doing it all her life - and this may look lightweight and simple, but the way the camera tells the story is excellent - it is all well-composed and supported by a tip-top script and a great cast. The romantic interest is too good-looking (of course) and above all this is a film that will hit the target with girls and women - but I promise you guys will really like it too.

Almost impossible not to enjoy we loved its free spirit and would recommend it heartily to teenage girls as a film about doing your thing and being strong.