Desperate to break from the clutches of her controlling mom (Harden) and her small-town Texas beauty pageant life, misfit teen Bliss (Page) is drawn to all-girls roller derby. After secretly joining the Hurl Scouts team in nearby Austin, she quickly becomes a crowd favorite as Babe Ruthless. Adapted by Cross from her 2007 novel "Derby Girl," this coming-of-age story might not be unique but is dipped in the delicious roller derby culture where girls rule. And not only did Barrymore craft an engaging female-power action comedy for her directorial debut, but she also dons some skates as tough chick Smashley Simpson--a particular treat is seeing her and Page do much of their own skating.
How much credit you give for a film with "its heart in the right place" over unpredictability, originality, or even an unflawed ensemble will determine how much you like Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip It. Do you give the ugly duckling more leeway because it's got the right ...Read More