19. Whip It (Feature Film)

Whip It (Feature Film)

2009

Directed by Drew Barrymore

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Total running time: 111 minutes

Plot Summary

In the small town of Bodeen, Texas, Bliss Cavendar and her best friend, Pash, stand out in the crowd of beauty pageant girls and high school football players.  Although Pash is sure of her goal of attending an Ivy League school, Bliss is stuck in limbo, unsure of what she wants.  That all changes when her mother takes her into Austin to shop for clothes and Bliss witnesses three roller derby girls skate into the store to drop off flyers for their upcoming game.  After grabbing a flyer, Bliss convinces Pash to go with her to the game featuring the Holy Rollers versus the Hurl Scouts.  Inspired by the strength of the women playing, Bliss tells one of the Hurl Scouts, Maggie Mayhem, that they are her new heroes.  Maggie tells her about the tryouts, insisting, “Be your own hero.”  Lying about her age to meet the age requirement of 21, Bliss goes back to Austin to tryout and lands herself a spot on the team, as well as the nickname Babe Ruthless—a name she needs to learn to live up to. 

Critical Evaluation

Whip It tells the story of a teenage girl finding something she is passionate about in an otherwise dull existence and the effects that her passion has on the rest of her life.  When Bliss first watches a Roller Derby match, she is inspired by the physical and emotional toughness of the women, something completely different from the prim and proper beauty pageant contestants in her small town.  As she gets further into the season, Roller Derby becomes so much more than a hobby as it starts Bliss on her coming-of-age journey.  Although she has always felt different from the girl her mother expects her to be, it isn’t until she spends time with her teammates and learns to be physically tough that she begins to stand up for herself.

My favorite part of the film is the likability of Bliss’ character.  Right from the start of the film when Bliss walks onto the pageant stage with blue hair, I loved her quiet, but rebellious spirit.  Of course, part of this stems from my love for Ellen Page as an actress and for her inherent quirkiness.  She is perfect in the role of Bliss Cavendar and I could not help but root for her both on and off the Derby track.

Reader's Annotation

Feeling out of place in her small Texas town, Bliss learns about the Roller Derby world in Austin and makes it her goal to be a Derby girl.

Information About the Director

Barrymore made her feature film debut at the age of five in the science fiction thriller Altered States. However, it was her scene-stealing performance as the precocious Gertie in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 blockbuster E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial that catapulted the young actress to stardom. She went on to star in the thriller Firestarter and the comedy Irreconcilable Differences, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Behind the camera, she is also enjoying success as a producer under her own Flower Films banner, with such hits as Never Been Kissed, Charile’s Angels and 50 First Dates.  In 2009, she directed her first feature film, Whip It. (information from the director’s website: http://www.drewbarrymore.com/about.html)

Genre

Teen Dramedy

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Compare the female figures Bliss meets in Bodeen to those in the Roller Derby.

2. Talk about Bliss’ experience when first going to the Roller Derby.

3. Discuss the relationship between Bliss and Pash.

4. Focus on the meaning behind Bliss’ Derby name, Babe Ruthless.

Reading Level/Interest Age

13+

Challenge Issues

The film is rated PG-13 for some sexual situations and teen drinking.

When confronted with complaints about this film, librarians should become familiar with the material and its content.  Turn to reviews listed on Amazon.com, as well as reviews from teens that have seen the film.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Film in Selection? 

I have been a fan of Ellen Page since I first saw her in Juno and the combination between her and Drew Barrymore intrigued me.