Whip It Reviews and Ratings


  • barelygotout
    November 22, 2009
    barelygotout
    Very good, very sweet. Stars Juno's Ellen Page and oddly enough the movie has the same tone without the pregnancy.
  • stormerswe
    November 22, 2009
    stormerswe
    Drew Barrymore´s first directing project actually hits home, and is proved to be a fine comedy with the ever dependable Ellen Page in the lead with an assortment of current hip actresses all rolling and partying, ensuring never a dull moment. The movie never drags due to Barrymor...( read more)e never forcing anything. Yes this sin´t just a chickflick as guys will surely enjoy scantily clad rollerblading honies. Go on, Whip It.
  • lizzardb72688
    November 19, 2009
    lizzardb72688
    A really sweet, yet girly movie of teenage priorities and bonds between your friends, your family, and your more intimate acquaintances. Drew Barrymore is all over in this film from the 80's music to the women power undertone. Although all in all this is another sports underdog...( read more) movie just with a much more random sport and a lot more fishnets and lipstick. This movie appeals to a very broad audience however and I hope people catch on to that. Ellen Page is completely relateable and cute. Very very entertaining and fun!!
  • babygirl3619
    November 15, 2009
    babygirl3619
    It was a good movie, the sport seems so valiant but it looks so fun too ! Drew Barrymore did a great jo on directing this movie!
  • PvtCaboose91
    November 14, 2009
    PvtCaboose91
    "The last time I wore skates, they had Barbies on them."


    For Whip It, first-time director Drew Barrymore has crafted a sports flick and a coming-of-age tale rolled together to produce a warm, droll charmer of a motion picture. Shauna Cross wrote the screenplay f

    ...( read more)or the film, which was adapted from her own novel Derby Girl: a fictional story constructed using anecdotes from the author's time spent in the professional female roller derby. While Whip It succumbs to several screenwriting conventions, the energy of Barrymore's direction is able to compensate for the script sputtering, and the actors all breathe jubilant life into this adamantly character-driven film.


    The story concerns Texas-based teenager Bliss Cavendar (Page) who resides in the small, dead-end town of Bodeen. She has fallen victim to the narcissistic and nepotistic desires of her mother (Harden) who clings to the glory days of her beauty queen past by forcing Bliss to endure the same type of ritualistic torture. Bored and desperate to escape the tedium of her life, Bliss sneaks out to the roller derby one night where she swoons over the female players with their retro outfits, gaudy make-up and awesomely ludicrous nicknames (Maggie Mayhem, Bloody Holly, Smashly Simpson, etc). From there, Bliss begins training to join the down-and-out Hurl Scouts; the perennial losers of the Austin-based roller derby league. Her speed makes her a standout at the tryouts, and she soon becomes Babe Ruthless - the league's new star.


    Since Whip It is a sports movie, everything comes down to the championship at the end. Happily, everything culminates with a humdinger of a climax - a nail-biting showdown infused with cheer-provoking moments and honest-to-goodness tension.


    In terms of both teen drama and sports movies, Whip It adheres to a customary formula: girl hates the life she's been forced into, finds something she loves, lies to get it, but must reconcile with that lie in order to truly succeed. During the cliché-heavy narrative Bliss also makes real friends, has her first romance, has a falling out with her best friend, and her parents eventually find out about her extracurricular activities. Additionally, Whip It holds true to the time-worn sports movie convention of an inept team that goes all the way with the addition of a new superstar. But it's only when a movie is limply done that you can virtually hear the gears of its formula grinding into place. When a film is bursting with gusto, heart and charm, however, one can gladly enjoy the experience without being too bothered by the clichés. Fortunately, Whip It falls into the latter camp - director Barrymore and writer Cross have stumbled upon a fresh setting for the formula, and the movie only feels like a retread in hindsight. Best of all, the progression of events feel natural as opposed to contrived - it feels like a naturalistic, non-Hollywood depiction of the monotonous life of a young female.


    Unfortunately, the comedy is frequently muted (probably by intention - it wasn't supposed to be a riot); offering only the occasional chuckle but not much else. With Whip It running at almost two hours, a trim would have been beneficial - as would a few more laughs. But Drew Barrymore does deserve credit for her first effort as a director. Having featured in movies since she was a small child, Barrymore has learned from the best (most notably E.T. mentor Steven Spielberg). She acquits herself particularly well during the roller derby scenes; collaborating with cinematographer Robert Yeoman to craft some exciting and fun set-pieces (on top of this, as Roger Ebert noted, Barrymore's supporting role savvily puts her in the position of not asking anything of the actors that she doesn't do herself). Though Barrymore isn't perfectly assured (there are sluggish patches, and not all of the derby sequences are as dynamic as they could be) she hits most of the marks she strived for.


    Ellen Page is rapidly becoming one of the finest actors of her generation, and this movie offers further proof of her immense range. Page has received a bit of a rap for ostensibly playing every role the same, but anyone who has witnessed her heartbreaking turn in An American Crime or her gripping performance in Hard Candy knows better. In Whip It, her role of Bliss is a good choice - shy, weary, frightened and unsure of herself. Page submits a dialled down, heartfelt performance, with little reliance on Juno-style dialogue.
    The rest of the cast offer brilliant support. There are effective performances courtesy of Andrew Wilson (who brings great humour and charm to the role of the Hurl Scout's long-suffering coach), Marcia Gay Harden (who's exceptionally nuanced as the pageant mum) and Daniel Stern (solid as Bliss' supportive father). As for Bliss' team-members, there's Kristen Wiig who's down-to-earth as the captain, as well as Barrymore herself playing the resident badass, and stuntwoman Zoë Bell (previously seen in Tarantino's Death Proof) among others.


    Pacing issues, a myriad of clichés and too few laughs notwithstanding, Whip It is a tremendously enjoyable flick. It's a promising debut for Barrymore behind the camera - a slice of heartfelt, feel-good entertainment.
  • blinkieme18279
    November 13, 2009
    blinkieme18279
    This Movie was very good..
    a must see.

    Drew barrymore really captured the roller derby life.
    i could not stop watching it.
    It had me on the edge of my seat!
  • sarahgoode
    November 10, 2009
    sarahgoode
    This comedy-drama, starring Ellen Page, marks the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore. The film is about Bliss (Page), an indie-rock loving misfit who finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in Austin, Texas. While the film is...( read more) somewhat predictable and includes many cliches, it is still loads of fun. While Page was great - cute, humorous, charismatic - the supporting actors were also quite memorable. Definitely look for Jimmy Fallon as "Hot Tub" Johnny Rocket who was so stupid yet hilarious.

    The film is a girl-empowerment story and deals with mother-daughter relationships, teenage rebellion, small-town boredom, and first love. There are plenty of funny scenes but also some emotional ones as well. The lines are witty, clever, and manage to be simultaneously raunchy and innocent. Certainly nothing we haven't seen before, but still worthy of seeing. I think the film will appeal to a lot of people, which is why it's not surprising that the film has an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It's just a funny, feel-good comedy that is comforting and enjoyable to watch. As Mary Pois of TIME Magazine wrote, "Even if a tale of female empowerment through roller derby is not your particular cup of tea, Barrymore delivers it with such a giddy good sense of fun that it's easy enough to go along with."
  • magyp
    November 7, 2009
    magyp
    Well done, forth the ticket.
  • blackeyedsurfer
    October 30, 2009
    blackeyedsurfer
    In Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, all the fun is in the details and the performances. The story is somewhat familiar, but it defies all of the cliches, and is anything but tired, with the very original choice of setting the action on a roller derby rink.

    Ellen Page leads...( read more) the ensemble in a role that completely seperates her from Juno (the role that made her famous, but could also have typecast her). Both the stylized dialogue and the confidence are gone, and she proves that she can pull off the part of a shy and introverted teenager just as well as a snarky pregnant one.

    Other standouts include Kristen Wiig as one of Page's teammates and Alia Shawkat (Maeby Funke, where have you been?) as her best friend. Oh, and there's a fun little cameo that I won't spoil.

    Despite occasionally having an overly feminist vibe, Barrymore has created a colourful and fun world that is suitable for everyone, but is especially good for young girls. She also shows that she has the chops to make a bright future for herself behind the camera.
  • TexasGuy
    October 30, 2009
    TexasGuy
    I really love this movie, I like the roller debry scene and how Drew Barrymore role was funny.
  • mgmatz1
    October 30, 2009
    mgmatz1
    I loved this story and Ellen Page does great! It made me wanna roller derby.
  • blackchakrarenegade
    October 29, 2009
    blackchakrarenegade
    yes..this looks awesome!
  • Mudchick24
    October 28, 2009
    Mudchick24
    Can't wait to see it
  • jeldridge321
    October 28, 2009
    jeldridge321
    I want to see it b/c Drew Barrymore made it - but probably wouldn't have been interested otherwise
  • her69eyes
    October 28, 2009
    her69eyes
    Tattooed women in fishnets pounding, smashing, and tackling each other in the mother of all full-contact sports - wait, Drew Barrymore directed this? That sweet little girl from "ET"? Don't be fooled - although the film might sound like a pulse-pumping exploit into the most aggre...( read more)ssive side of femininity, it doesn't pack any more bite than "Never Been Kissed".

    Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page), a 17-year-old from the small-town of Bodeen, Texas, is held under strict rule by her pageant obsessed matriarch (Marcia Gay Harden) and obedient father (Daniel Stern). When Bliss and her best friend, Pash (Alia Shawkat, from "Arrested Development"), discover the world of underground roller derby, it's not long before she decides to ditch the Miss Blue Bonnet Pageants for a pair of roller skates.

    Through practice, she's eventually recruited to the "Hurl Scouts", your typical rag-tag team of misfits who don't hold a single win under their belt. Alongside Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig) and Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore), the newly dubbed Babe Ruthless begins to turn the Hurl Scouts' luck around. But their biggest opposition, led by the threatening Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis), want nothing more than to smash these underdogs to a pulp.

    For a film set in such an exotic environment, I expected something a little more daring. Although the film is pleasant company, it doesn't even attempt to offer any surprises - if you've ever seen a sports movie, a movie about underdogs, or a movie about disgruntled teens feuding with their parents, you've seen "Whip It". Cliché doesn't always have to be a dirty word, but at nearly two hours in length it's not long before the film devolves into a tedious procession towards it's offensively predictable conclusion. The preview screening audience was clapping and cheering along for the ride, but something tells me that now, two days removed, they've forgotten they had ever seen it.

    The screen is filled with wonderful supporting performers: Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern are both written one-note, but elevate the parents into perhaps the most interesting aspects of the movie. Kristen Wiig is far from her usual self in a sort of nurturing motherly role, and she further solidifies herself as an actress of tremendous untapped potential.

    However, as enjoyable as the people on screen can be, it wasn't long before I was twiddling my thumbs until the big game. We know exactly where everything is going, and the journey getting there isn't exactly captivating - watch out, for instance, for the laughably absurd romantic montage that culminates with lovers stripping and fondling underwater. As much as I wanted to hand myself over to "Whip It"'s charms, I had a hard time looking past the fact that it perfectly represents everything wrong with the sports movie genre.
  • scruffsim
    October 28, 2009
    scruffsim
    Really Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • petertunny3
    October 28, 2009
    petertunny3
    Loved it !!





    6.55pm Hawthorne cin 2
  • Clemontine
    October 28, 2009
    Clemontine
    A lovely little feel good film involving teenage self discovery. The roller derby scenes were lots of fun, and the whole team was a riot. Drew Barrymore's character was outrageous and awesome. I also enjoyed Bliss' work friends, Pash and Birdman. Everyone was so quirky but real, ...( read more)so I easily felt involved with the movie, making Bliss' achievments really exciting.
  • aliciadalton74
    October 27, 2009
    aliciadalton74
    love this movie you should relly see it
  • chellieiloveyou
    October 27, 2009
    chellieiloveyou
    i saw this in theaters sitting next to this really hot latino guy. its deffinately an inspirational move. although i may be being biased considering that i dont care what it is i will always love Drew Berrymore :)
  • Surfer567Rosa
    October 27, 2009
    Surfer567Rosa
    Very cute movie, but as it seems to be the trend lately...could have been edited down quite a bit. Razor may be the greatest coach of all time.
  • chesteruzialko
    October 27, 2009
    chesteruzialko
    would like to see it
  • lmmmuthigani
    October 27, 2009
    lmmmuthigani
    Ellen Page; Drew Barrymore. Popcorns anyone? Get your own.
  • junegrl13
    October 26, 2009
    junegrl13
    anything with Ellen is interesting
  • popcornnroses
    October 26, 2009
    popcornnroses
    Fun but not completely satisifying directorial debut from Drew Barrymore follows a teenager with a mother who pushes her towards beauty competitions that becomes obsessed with women's roller derby. Great supporting turn by SNL's Kristen Wiig. Ellen Page is great as always! Not a ...( read more)must see, but you'll enjoy it if you catch it...
  • phoenixhearted
    October 24, 2009
    phoenixhearted
    saw "Whip it!" opening weekend. i totally enjoyed it and so did my 2yr old she loved the skating and now wants a set.

    i loved this from its previews and knowing that this is Drew's debute it was a must see. it was gritty and well casted. it gave me an 80's vibe and not the ne...( read more)w wave, cheesy "wedding singer" vibe but the gritty almost punk "200 cigerettes" vibe. the story, although a bit predictable, played out well. didnt give u that hollywood ending but had u walking away with a good story to tell. drew directed from the heart and gave her love/brain child room to grow. the chorography was excellent. i did get alittle fustrated with some of the camera angles but the girls did well. i laughed out loud in several scences especially when the coach drives up listening to wilson phillips.

    i loved that it had a not so polished look and the music was very original. i truely loved the score and look forward to purchasing the soundtrack. it was very much a part of the cast. the cast was well selected... i hated juliette lewis' character from the start and she followed through in her bitchiness. kristen wiig gave her motherly vibe right away and was likeable. eve's character almost over looked still shown as a fellow teammate. drew typecasted herself. jimmy fallon was allowed to run with his comedic fashion. and ellen page was her JUNO self not much of a leap but believable, she did well with her awkwardness/chemestry with landon pigg.

    this was a great movie ... i walked out at the end feeling it was an $8.25 well spent.
  • ronbeard
    October 23, 2009
    ronbeard
    Surprised so many critics loved it. it certainly had all the ingredients to be a cool film. Better than Away we Go but not ANYWHERE near as great an indie film as 500 Days. AND I didn't get the ending AT ALLî‹ Who's Grandma came up with that???Now be sure and eat your vegetab...( read more)les kids- your Mother always know best- Ya Right! 2-1/4 stars
  • airby1024
    October 22, 2009
    airby1024
    i loved it!!!! sooo funny!!! love ellen page!!!!!
  • lilmzm
    October 22, 2009
    lilmzm
    Entertaining, a bit predictable, but a feel-good movie, and great first for director Drew Barrymore.
  • liquidstone14
    October 22, 2009
    liquidstone14
    Good-natured and occasionally funny, but it's too bad the sports underdog formula employed from start to finish contrasts very badly with Whip It's themes of self-discovery and rebellion. Still, it remains a modestly successful directorial debut for Barrymore, who lenses the roll...( read more)er derby scenes with clarity and panache, and gets the most out of a truly splendid cast. Ellen Page herself is lovely and subtle, although her role doesn't break very far out of her comfort zone. Anyways, this is not a failed film by any means, just a smoothly undemanding and dissapointingly formulaic one. Maybe the horrid romantic subplot (complete with cheesy strings and pool makeout scene!) just left a bad taste in my mouth...
  • ptunny
    October 21, 2009
    ptunny
    6:30 PM
    CINEMA 2
    Hawthorne
  • irishraven74
    October 21, 2009
    irishraven74
    I used to skate with the Detroit Derby Girls, a BUNCH of them were in this movie. Unfortunately, I wasn't picked...but I know 1/2 the derby girls in it, if not all of them!
  • shawneanderson
    October 21, 2009
    shawneanderson
    Great little movie deftly directed by Drew Barrymore. It's apparent she puts thought into the shots she selects to highlight her characters and the moment the characters are in. The script avoids all too easy feel-good trappings and yet you end up feeling good just the same. Q...( read more)uite a feat! The entire cast is wonderful. It was especially nice to see Daniel Stern back in action and doing a fine job. Ellen Page does not simply re-create her character from Juno. Bliss and Juno are different young women and Page makes the distinction clear. Every one of the characters in the film could have easily been over the top, but they are not played that way. There is enough restraint to keep them believable and relateable. Finally, the potrayal of Bliss' parents as empathetic, flawed people still in love with each other was a joy to watch as opposed to the dolts which usually populate films where teens are the focus.
  • underwearsoup
    October 20, 2009
    underwearsoup
    This is a great movie. If you really think about it, this movie has a lot of the hollywood cliches in it, but this movie is so much fun that you don't really even care. This movie is rare, because you never actually see a female-driven dramedy where the females seem to be havin...( read more)g genuine fun playing their roles. This one is different, because the women do seem to be having fun with their roles, especially in the roller derby sequences, which really do kick ass and those scenes are just fun as hell. I don't really know what else I can say about this movie to be honest, other than the cast is great (Ellen Page IS absolutely awesome and I love her) and so is the script. It's great and it's very entertaining. It's also a very sweet and touching movie at times, this movie just means well with the story it's telling, so it's really a perfect mix and I definitely recommend it.
  • RachelJezel
    October 20, 2009
    RachelJezel
    Drew's directing debut--you go girl!
  • janissampson1
    October 20, 2009
    janissampson1
    Awesome- very fun. Great portrayal. Love the actors and the characters were great!
  • mikesidler
    October 19, 2009
    mikesidler
    Yes , it is a chick flick . It is one of those underdog makes good kind of story
  • hayneslauren
    October 19, 2009
    hayneslauren
    Drew Barrymore did an excellent job in her directorial debut. Ellen Page as always portrays an identifiable misfit. Although there is a cliche aspect of the movie it feels to me as if it is only because it is a coming-of-age feel-good girl-power film. Juliette Lewis looks incredi...( read more)bly fantastic as a hardcore derby chick who wants nothing more than to be number one. The actual character development with some of the supporting roles seemed a bit lacking as in characters mainly seem to go with one as one sided cliches that most teen dramas tend to heavily rely upon (i.e. Stage mother, supportive father, and the bitch that all characters seem to hate). Despite my negativity towards this film, I liked the cinematic undertaking that showed youth as it's strongest character. Realizing that in this fantasy world life can show the most beautiful moments and that life itself is cliche as being a teenage girl in a small town. Because of it's cliches I found myself wishing half way through the movie that Diablo Cody had written the screen play so I could hear her eloquent come backs once again out of Ellen Page's mouth.

    I recommend this movie to anyone that is a fan of Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, women and girls that appreciate feminist storytelling, and of course those who feel they are awkward gawky misfits themselves. This movie has heart and a pretty great soundtrack.
  • iluvtopher
    October 19, 2009
    iluvtopher
    Yea, i want to see this
  • marianabreuer
    October 18, 2009
    marianabreuer
    Loved it!!! I wanna be a Jammer!!
  • tequilamockingbird82
    October 18, 2009
    tequilamockingbird82
    More sweet than really funny, I was rather startled that I did not dislike the film more. Very formulaic in some respects, it holds one's attention admirably in spite of some drama, which is usually a sign of laziness on the part of comic filmmakers but which in this case comes ...( read more)off well. Special mention goes to Marcia Gay Harden who brings some authentic emotional investment in the overbearing mother character. The only part to be all but totally unengaging is Page's love interest; but I suppose the eternal curse of believable first love stories is the necessitating of the presence of at least one douchebag in your narrative.
  • oreorebel
    October 18, 2009
    oreorebel
    Ehhhh the ending was ok!
  • nikojunkie
    October 18, 2009
    nikojunkie
    Something about Ellen Page's character put me off. A bit too self-absorbed I think. Also, her love interest was a bit of a tool. Awesome soundtrack though!
  • mokeypokeyrocker
    October 18, 2009
    mokeypokeyrocker
    what's your roller derby name?
  • mikeyrockz33
    October 18, 2009
    mikeyrockz33
    rockin wit some rollin LOL
  • aidansdad1127
    October 18, 2009
    aidansdad1127
    Good job directing on her first attempt. And the storyline is great. Roller derby girls are their own society that not too many people know anything about.
  • meliann89
    October 18, 2009
    meliann89
    LOVED it!!! "Be your own hero!" XD
    Line that I related to most: "I can grow balls." - Bliss "Babe Ruthless" Cavendar =P

Summary

Whip It Summary