If it weren’t for coming-of-age movies, actresses like Ellen Page might actually have to grow up.
In “Whip It,” we see Page reclaim her “Juno”-esque, small-town-girl-with-a-big-story role, but with half the confidence and twice the speed. Unfortunately, this time she doesn’t have the witty words of Diablo Cody to back her up.
Her character ““ 17-year-old Bliss Cavendar, grossly nicknamed Blister by her father ““ is on the pageantry track in the godforsaken town of Bodeen, Texas thanks to her tyrant of a mother, played by the wonderfully wicked Marcia Gay Harden.
Bliss encounters the first sign of excitement in her life by way of Austin’s roller derby scene, which is a euphemism for girl fights on skates, and immediately falls in love with this world of 30-something-year-old women who blow off steam by diving head first, literally, into this full-contact sport.
After watching only one game, Bliss straps on some skates, makes the team and becomes the Hurl Scouts’ star player in a matter of minutes. The immediacy with which she transitions from diner waitress to rink royalty ““ complete with her own signature move known as “the whip,” hence the title ““ makes it difficult for the audience to appreciate how far she’s come.
Bliss completely submerges herself in this world of roller-skate-shaped disco balls and bad dye jobs, much preferable to that of gowns and updos, and even finds herself an indie dreamboat, Oliver, played by real-life indie dreamboat Landon Pigg.
The rest of the story plays out as predictably as possible and also a bit too similarly to that of “Bend It Like Beckham.” Bliss’s story doesn’t present us with much inventiveness. She keeps this second life a secret from her parents ““ since her mom thinks she’s “too bohemian to care” about the important things in life like pearls and poise ““ and has to choose between playing in the championship game or pleasing her mom by competing in the biggest pageant of the year, which of course happen to fall on the same night. I never thought I’d hear an MGMT song during a beauty pageant scene or see Ellen Page fight Juliette Lewis, even in a movie.
However, the film does offer a great ensemble cast. With Drew Barrymore and Kristen Wiig skating alongside Page, there’s no shortage of quirk. Wiig brings along her signature straight-face humor as a sort of guardian angel to Bliss, but is wasted on such an uninspiring script with lines like “Skate fast, skate hard.” Barrymore aces the character of wild child Smashley Simpson, and Jimmy Fallon couldn’t be more lovable as sleezy derby announcer “Hot Tub” Johnny Rocket.
But the real highlight of the supporting cast is Andrew Wilson, who portrays Razor, the Hurl Scouts’ coach who seems to like his tight-fitting jean shorts more than the actual team, but never gives up on them. Pair this grumpy demeanor and devotion with his washboard abs and dirty-blonde hair, and you’ll wish this Wilson brother was as prevalent in films as brothers Luke and Owen.
Another rarity is seeing Barrymore at the helm of the film. While the audience spends half of the movie trying not to get dizzy while watching these hardcore women skate and sucker punch each other in what seems like endless cycles around the track, Barrymore does direct one beautifully orchestrated scene involving Bliss, Oliver and an indoor pool. The rhythm with which they dive in and explore the feeling of the bottom of the pool and of each other perfectly captures Bliss’ state of pure happiness with the changes in her life up to this point.
Though everything doesn’t go according to Bliss’ plan, none of the twists or turns are hard to see coming. There are plenty of cliche messages to take away from “Whip It,” such as finding what makes you happy and not worrying about pleasing others. But the most interesting lesson to be learned is that women can be vicious lionesses on the track and as close as sisters the second they step off it.
““ Saba Mohtasham
E-mail Mohtasham at smohtasham@media.ucla.edu.