Eve | ENTERTAINMENT REALM

12 reasons to adore Whip It!

Posted by Amy Steele in Film on October 7, 2009

WhipItposter

Directed by Drew Barrymore– Whip It! is simultaneously edge-of-your-seat exciting and inspirational. Just like Drew has been all her life. Drew [who also plays Smashley Simpson in the film] chose a great project, script, cast for her directorial debut.
Written by Shauna Cross based on her novel. Just the right mix of cool and touching.
Organized sports are empowering for girls and young women. Being involved helps to build self-esteem and encourage female-bonding. [I played soccer from age 8 through college and also competed in equestrian events, often as part of a team, through Groton Pony Club.]
Kristen Wiig as Maggie Mayhem—she’s the sweet “aunt” figure for Bliss. Charming performance. More of this Kristen, less SNL please. Juliette Lewis as Iron Maven—she’s scary fierce. You don’t want to mess with her but you also want to hang out with her.
The realistic love-hate mother-daughter relationship between Bliss Cavendar [Ellen Page] and her mom, Brooke Cavendar [Marcia Gay Harden]. It is okay for a teen to love her mom and not like the choices her own mom made in her life. It is okay for a teen to disagree with her mom. It is okay for a teen to be someone different than who her mom envisions her to be.
Departure from Juno for Ellen Page. Here she’s not so precocious and witty, but she’s smart and determined.
Friendship between Bliss [Page] and Pash [Alia Shawkat of Arrested Development]. This is what high school friendships are like. You cry to each other. You disappoint each other. You hold each other’s hair when you puke for the first time at a party. You are honest.
Women are not sex objects. Women are powerful as jocks. They kick ass on skates and that attracts the men. Sure, they wear fishnets but it has little to do with their overall appeal.
Bliss falls for a band guy [unappealing and uncharismatic Landon Pigg] and he hurts her and she doesn’t take him back. After letting him know that he blew it. Big time.
Bliss has a wonderful, loving, understanding Dad [Daniel Stern].
Other derby girls: Eve as Rosa Sparks, Zoe Bell as Bloody Holly, Ari Graynor as Eva Destruction
Feminist through and through. Girl power. Women power: directed by a woman, written by a woman, starring women and produced my women.