STARRING: Ellen Page (Juno, Hard Candy); Marcia Gay Harden (Pollock, Into the Wild); Kristen Wiig (SNL, Knocked Up); Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development)
DIRECTOR: Drew Barrymore (newcomer)
WRITER: Shauna Cross (newcomer)
PLOT: A quirky misfit flees the beauty pageant circuit for a roller derby league without her parents knowing.
FIVE OBSERVATIONS
4 As a first time director, Drew Barrymore get a lot of out of her actresses. While you can tell that they are having a blast filming this story, they also deliver powerful, emotional moments throughout the movie. While many would make an Ellen Page comparison to Juno, I didn’t really connect them. Juno is a lot more sarcastic while Page’s role in Whip It is more vulnerable.
4Kristen Wiig steals the show. Wiig has been rocking hard on SNL lately and she has some very fun scenes in this film, but she also does some solid work as the motherly Maggie Mayhem. She’s a treat to watch.
4Some great acting aside, the story didn’t really grab me. Some great scenes here and there but overall a little cliché and predictable. I didn’t find any of it really surprising. Also the younger sister is in the opening scenes and then we don’t see or hear from her until the end. Little sloppy; and a missed opportunity to work on a sisterly bond or rivalry.
4 I was hoping for more creative cinematography. The roller derby scenes are well done but the rest is pretty standard. Maybe I was hoping for a more Garden State sensibility in the camera movement. Oh well.
4 One thing I really don’t find funny is a food fight. Never have. Never will. Nuff said.
RECOMMENDATION
Wait for DVD/TBS
(Girls=DVD, Boys=TBS)
COMING SOON
Where the Wild Things Are
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