MIT Lecture Series Committee

Rated PG-13
111 minutes

view trailer

format: 35mm

Whip It (2009)

Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with Whip It, the story of a former beauty pageant contestant named Bliss (played by Juno's Ellen Page) who leaves her crowns behind after joining a roller-derby team. While her mother would prefer that Bliss unlace her skates and step back before the judges, the rebellious teen instead seeks the wisdom of rowdy mentor Malice in Wonderland (Kristen Wiig) in learning the tricks of the circuit track. The Mandate Pictures production was written by roller derby star-turned-screenwriter Shauna Cross. [allmovie.com]

Girls just wanna have fun -- and boy, do they as rough 'n' ready roller derby players -- in Whip It, Drew Barrymore's exuberant and totally winning directing debut.
      -- Lou Lumenick, New York Post. Read this review.