Some people lie about their age to join the military, others to buy alcohol. But to do it to join a roller derby team? Welcome to Bliss Cavendar's world.
Ellen Page, best known for portraying the tough-but-pregnant teen Juno in the film of the same name, which earned her an Oscar nod for the breakout role, takes on the role of Bliss in "
Whip It," the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore.
Bliss is a one-time beauty pageant queen in small-town Texas who is looking for more from her life than being picked on by classmates for being "alternative." That's when she finds the Hurl Scouts, a roller derby team based out of Austin.
After watching a Hurl Scouts match, she tries out for the team at the encouragement of team member Maggie Mayhem ("Saturday Night Live's" Kristen Wiig). And it goes poorly.
Bliss puts in the work, deceives her disapproving parents (Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern), and earns her way onto the team, when Bliss becomes Babe Ruthless.
Part of the fun of roller derby is the names of the skaters, and the movie captures it well. In addition to Wiig's Maggie Mayhem, Page is joined on the team by Smashley Simpson (Barrymore), Rosa Sparks (singer/actress Eve) and Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell). Juliette Lewis stars as Dinah Might, one of the leaders of a rival team.
Jimmy Fallon, Har Mar Superstar and Landon Pigg also appear in the film, with the latter two joining on the soundtrack with Little Joy, the Ramones and Dolly Parton, among others.
For more information, go to
www.foxsearchlight.com/whipit/.
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