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Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut rolls over its modest charms with some sloppy story telling.
by Wayne Melton
The new roller derby movie “Whip It” should be approached with the same caution as the event itself: Pay your entry fee with the understanding that what you are about to witness is not a completely professional endeavor.
The movie stars Ellen Page (“Juno”) as Bliss, a high school kid stifled in a small Texas town who discovers roller derby in bustling nearby Austin as a way to find a life more suitable to her own tastes.
Roller derby’s contemporary circumstances — underground and quirky — suit the movie, fashioned, like roller derby teams and their colorful costumes and names, with a casual, offbeat personality. The difference is Drew Barrymore, in her directorial debut, bringing considerable connections and fame to an adaptation of a humble book by real roller derby girl Bliss Cavendar. The result is a nationally-released film that probably would have been a scrappy underdog on the festival circuit without Barrymore behind it. Read the rest of this entry »
This review first appeared on BackStage.com
By Wayne Melton
From a casting perspective, Smart People is a carefully constructed indie drama in the mold of recent hits like Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, with an assortment of movie and television stars, famous faces, newcomers, and veteran character actors all pitching in to bring real life to the latest quirky melodrama. It even stars Juno’s Ellen Page in another turn as a crusty high school kid. The only difference (besides the lack of embryo) is that she’s a right-winger this time. Read the rest of this entry »
