Whip ItThe game is intriguing and layered enough to invest in it and fortunately the maker too goes deep into it, keeping it a bit mellow and breezy alongside it. The structure of the script is rudimentary yet thoroughly pleasing and entertaining where each tiny factor is serving a greater purpose than it seems. The adaptation for screen by Shauna Cross (who wrote the original novel) isn't smart as it lacked better editing in it. For a debut director of a major motion picture, Drew Barrymore is a talent in her own depiction; offering a promising potential for future projects, she has done an adequate job. Drew plays it safe in here and follows the typical formula and embarks upon it step by step and reaches for the goal swiftly with confidence. It certainly is not your typical teenage feature but definitely leans towards it in some sequences but all of it is allowed as far as the audience is enjoying it and no one minds it. The feature is strong on performance level by the protagonist Ellen Page and her brilliant supporting cast like Kirsten Wiig, Drew Barrymore and even Jimmy Fallon on occasions; he is hilarious in here. Whip It has a vigorous and loud whipping coming from all the sides where the makers do raise appropriate questions through a fun nail-biting game sequences that keeps the audience on the edge of the seat.

Shy Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is an outsider in the conservative town of Bodeen, Texas. Her former pageant winning mother Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden) insists on entering her and her sister. While on a shopping trip with her mother to Austin, she is taken by some roller derby girls. With the help of her friend Pash (Alia Shawkat), she goes to see them. Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig) tells her to be her own hero. She lies about her age and makes it on a team.Ellen Page has big time charisma in her little stature. I love her friendship with Pash and her relationship with her mother. The story is very standard sports and coming-of-age movie. I like the team and their chemistry. I like their coach Razor. On the other hand, the boyfriend is too much of a standard indie rocker guy. He's an unimaginative character. Drew Barrymore's directing is good for a relative novice. Overall, this is a fun enjoyable movie with a lovely star.

Whip It (2009): Dir: Drew Barrymore / Cast: Ellen Page, Marcia Gay Harden, Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Kristen Wiig: High energy teen flick about goals and risks. Ellen Page plays Bliss Cavendar who works at a diner and subdued to her mother's demands to do pageants. She grows intrigued with female roller derby and faces the bumps to make it. Innovative directing by Drew Barrymore who also appears as Smashingly Simpson. Screenplay begins well but suffers from formula storytelling, repetition and clichés. Page is a sell going from forced glamour queen to a secret rollerblader who is afraid to face her mother. It is obvious that she will score big but thankfully her performance allow this film to avoid being a total miss. With that said, the rest of the cast are weighed down with stereotypes. Barrymore as Smashingly Simpson seems bent on getting into fights but this only positions her as a type not a personality. Juliette Lewis plays the typical rival pushing Page to the edge. Marcia Gay Harden does what she can as the strict mother who will suddenly see the light in the conclusion. Kristen Wiig plays a mother who is part of this group as a freedom. Not a bad start for Barrymore as director who hopefully will discover a more worthy project. The rollerblading element is interesting but unfortunately the screenplay fails to whip it into action. Score: 4 ½ / 10

Whip It was a movie I wanted to like more than I did... The storyline was a little bit twee and predictable, with all of the 'small-town underdog' sports clichés... but, on the other hand, first-time director Drew Barrymore's handling of things is as charming as Barrymore herself seems to be... so, if you don't mind predictability, like roller derby, and just want a non-taxing feelgood film, then this could be it...It has a great soundtrack, too, so that's in its favour.Barrymore seems to be fond of fairy tales, so if you like miraculous yet never less than wholesome transformations, and inspirational sloganeering such as "Be Your Own Hero!", then this will probably suit you a treat... It's not that I'm against those things, it's just that these warm fuzzies sometimes come at the expense of teaching you about the realities of life... but, if you've seen "Never Been Kissed" before and enjoyed it, then at least you'll know the type of thing to expect.