Whip It: DVD Review

Whip It: DVD Review

Whip It

Released by Roadshow Entertainment
Rating: M

Drew Barrymore is the one behind the camera for the majority of this her debut.

It's a coming of age story starring Juno's Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar, a young girl in a mid American town who wants to get away. Her mum insists she enters beauty pageants and Bliss goes along with it because she doesn't want to hurt her feelings.

However, one day Bliss comes across the world of roller derby. Bliss decides she will join the local downtown Austin team, The Hurl Scouts, and becomes Babe Ruthless, the team's latest addition.

But she can't tell her folks and soon Babe Ruthless becomes a star - and Bliss is left facing a very real choice.

Whip It is wonderful - a deft directing debut from Drew (who appears as a fellow roller derby player) which charms and makes the simple soar.

There's a simplicity of story with Whip It - it wears the cliche on its sleeve (although the ending is anything but) and thanks to some good solid performances, you will find yourself walking out with a big grin. It manages to nicely capture the frustrations of small town America as well as the desperation of wanting to shine at something rather than a family tradition.

Whip It has heart and soul aplenty - there's an exuberance to this tale of girl power which will affect you more than you want to admit.

Rating: 8/10