Whip It Blu-ray/DVD (Fox) | Under The Radar

Whip It Blu-ray/DVD

Studio: Fox

Jan 19, 2010 By Nick Hyman

Drew Barrymore's sweet directorial debut, Whip It, was almost completely ignored on its initial release, despite it being the best roller derby movie of 2009. Writer Shauna Cross adapted her novel Derby Girl in the story of Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page besting her quippy Juno performance) and her coming-of-age journey into the world of Roller Derby in the small town of Bodeen, Texas. An appealing cast includes Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development) as Bliss' best friend; Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern as Bliss' parents; and Kristen Wiig, Eve, Juliette Lewis, and director Barrymore as some colorfully named Derby queens. Lesser-known Wilson brother Andrew (Future Man from Bottle Rocket) is another standout as the coach of Bliss' team, the Hurl Scouts. And while the romance element in Whip It feels tacked-on and flat, Bliss' interactions with her parents, her friends, and her rivals seem more organic and occasionally unpredictable. The film is a small-town charmer that will hopefully garner a bigger audience at home. Unfortunately, the DVD only includes a healthy bunch of deleted scenes and nothing else. A commentary with Barrymore and Page-and maybe an explanation of the rules of the sport-would have been nice. (www.foxsearchlight.com/whipit)

Author rating: 7/10

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Average reader rating: 8/10