By Emily Cummins, Assistant News Editor
Actress Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, “Whip It,” opened in theatres last week. The coming of age story stars Ellen Page who joins a roller derby. The author of the book, Shauna Cross, wrote the adapted screenplay. Other cast members include Kristen Wig, Juliette Lewis, Jimmy Fallon, and Daniel Stern (remember him from “Home Alone?”).
The story involves a restless seventeen year old (Page) who finds purpose and drive in a local roller derby league called the Hurl Scouts. The story itself is interesting because it is a twist on the archetype, but the real quality of the film comes from the cinematography. The use of colors and shadows is simply beautiful, but it is expected because the cinematographer is Robert Yeoman, who also was the director of photography on “The Royal Tenenbaums.”
The plot is another story. The film revolves around the central idea that you should “be your own hero,” that means you, young girl in far too much eyeliner sitting on the church wall in your town looking tough in your mom’s hand-me-downs from the 80s. You are just like Ellen Page’s character Bliss, unless you smoke; she’s not that edgy. This movie speaks to awkward loner girls across the nation… just like “Juno” did.
That means the outfits are hipster-esque and the music is awfully indie and soon to be awfully trendy. When she’s Babe Ruthless, Bliss’s alter ego for roller derby, she’s sporting a Girl Scout uniform that would fit an eight year old with fishnets underneath. When she’s attending class and playing pinball with her rocker boyfriend, she’d be dawning untied combat boots and a “vintage” Stryper band tee.
The improbabilities do not end there. The couple enjoys innocent fun together through the entirety of their relationship, then once he leaves her trouble starts. Thankfully there is a twist to that specific ending because that might have been too many clichés to swallow.
The close of the movie is similar to that of a football flick, in which the star gets hurt, but walks it off and everything turns out okay with happy endings all around. This is where the film loses its “edge” and feels more like a drama than a comedy. It begs the question “how many jokes were really funny?”
Walking into the movie, one certainly anticipates a comedy, but when you get down to it, it’s more like an inspirational movie about the transition of a misguided girl into a self- assured woman. Some parts are sappy, some parts are sad, and if you’re really sensitive it might make you cry. Overall, you’ll laugh a little and feel content in the end, but just make sure you leave your boyfriend at home; the movie is meant for chicks.
Drew Barrymore (left), Ellen Page (center) and Kristen Wiig (right) in “Whip It,” a film adaptation of a book by Shauna Cross, who also wrote the screenplay. Barrymore directed the film. (Photo courtesy allmoviephoto.com)