I have been a fan of Drew Barrymore for pretty much as long as I can remember…. Drew has been producing films for years through her company Flower Films, and as you have probably heard, she made her directorial debut this past weekend when her film “Whip It” opened up nationwide.
Based on the book by Shauna Cross (who also wrote the screenplay), the movie tells the story of a Texas teenager by the name of Bliss who goes from competing in beauty pageants to competing in roller derby.
Barrymore does an awesome job of translating the story to film. There are parts that make you laugh, cringe, and even a few parts that will draw tears to your eyes. Trust me, you’ll be able to relate to some element of this film!
All in all, it’s very empowering. Obviously, participating in roller derby means that you are kicking ass on roller skates, but there’s more to it than just that. I don’t want to give any parts of the movie away… but the female characters are fighting for a lot more than a roller derby championship. They’re all dealing with something – for some it’s discovering who they are, trying to get out of a small town, trying to do something they are good at, and more…. (like I said – I’m not giving anything away!)
As a Michigan girl, I am proud to say that the movie was partly filmed in this state, and that the Detroit Derby Girls were featured in it. And did you know that in my hometown, the University of Michigan Flint is the first college to sponsor a Roller Derby Club? And that would, of course, be The Flint City Derby Girls! Pretty cool, huh?