Whip It (film)

Last updated
Whip It
Whip It (2009 film) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Drew Barrymore
Screenplay by Shauna Cross
Based on Derby Girl
by Shauna Cross
Produced byDrew Barrymore
Barry Mendel
Starring
Cinematography Robert D. Yeoman
Edited by Dylan Tichenor
Music by The Section Quartet
Production
companies
Dune Entertainment
Mandate Pictures
Vincent Pictures
Flower Films
Rye Road Productions
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • September 13, 2009 (2009-09-13)(TIFF)
  • October 2, 2009 (2009-10-02)(United States)
Running time
111 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million [1]
Box office$16.6 million [1]

Whip It is a 2009 American sports comedy drama film co-produced and directed by Drew Barrymore from a screenplay by Shauna Cross, based on her 2007 novel Derby Girl . It stars Elliot Page [a] as a teenage girl from the fictional town of Bodeen, Texas, who joins a roller derby team. The film also stars Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Jimmy Fallon, and Daniel Stern.

Contents

Whip It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2009 and was theatrically released in the United States on October 2, by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, but was a box office disappointment, grossing $16.6 million worldwide against its $15 million budget. [2] Whip It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 26, 2010 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Plot

Bliss Cavendar is a teenager in the small town of Bodeen, Texas. She has lost interest in the beauty pageants her mother, former beauty queen Brooke, pressures her to win.

While shopping in Austin with her mother, Bliss is intrigued by three roller derby team members she encounters. She and her friend Pash attend a roller derby bout where they see the "Holy Rollers" defeat the "Hurl Scouts". Bliss lies about her age and tries out for the Hurl Scouts, who give her the derby name "Babe Ruthless", and she becomes friendly with teammates "Maggie Mayhem", "Bloody Holly" and "Smashley Simpson". The Hurl Scouts, while enthusiastic and close knit, rarely win, but chant, "We're number two!" after losing a match, to the frustration of their coach, Razor.

"Iron Maven" of the Holy Rollers resents Bliss's talent and youth. Bliss soon realizes she needs to be merciless in roller derby, which also changes other aspects of her life. She stands up to a bully at school and starts dating a lanky musician named Oliver, to whom she loses her virginity before he leaves on a tour, taking a T-shirt Bliss gave him to remember her by, in exchange for his jacket.

The Hurl Scouts continue to lose. Razor convinces them to change their ways after paying their rivals to use one of his plays against them, showing them how much better they could be. The team begins rising in the ranks, soon heading for a championship match against the Holy Rollers.

Bliss's parents discover her involvement in roller derby when Pash is arrested at the arena for underage drinking. Pash is furious with Bliss for leaving her alone, which led to her arrest. When Bliss's parents demand she give up roller derby, she runs away from home and stays with Maggie, discovering she has a young son. Maggie gives Bliss perspective on the difficulties of being a parent.

Bliss sees a picture of Oliver on social media with another girl, who is wearing her t-shirt. Heartbroken, she goes home to her mother, who comforts her. Bliss gives up roller derby and resumes her pageant career so as not to hurt her family or friends any further, and reconciles with Pash.

On the day of the pageant, which is the same day as the roller derby championship, Bliss's father convinces his wife to let Bliss abandon the pageant and go join the Hurl Scouts in their championship game.

Before the game begins, Bliss is approached by Oliver, who denies cheating on her, but she dumps him anyway for never calling her while he was away. The Hurl Scouts narrowly lose the championship match to the Holy Rollers, but they still happily come together and chant, "We're number two!" She and Iron Maven come to a mutual respect. Bliss's mother is still not entirely supportive of roller derby, but accepts that Bliss now knows what makes her happy and is charting her own course in life.

Cast

Production

Production and filming

Screenwriter Shauna Cross adapted her 2007 young adult novel Derby Girl for the screen and pitched the script to different production companies while simultaneously pitching its source material to various publishers. Once Barrymore got involved, she and Cross worked for months on script revisions, with Barrymore pushing her to "avoid her story's tidier prospects, to make things 'more raw and open-ended.'" [3] The film project was initially to be handled by Warner Independent Pictures, but Mandate Pictures took over after it was put into a turnaround. [4] Production began summer 2008 in Michigan; principal photography began on July 26, taking place in and around Detroit, Saline, Ypsilanti, Michigan and Birch Run. Real roller derby players were selected from local Michigan teams such as the Detroit Derby Girls, and the Grand Raggidy Roller Girls. [5] Several scenes were also shot in Austin, Texas. [6] [7] Some scenes were also shot in Hamtramck, Michigan at Hamtramck High School as well as Ferndale, Michigan at Ferndale High School. Whip It was produced by Barry Mendel and Drew Barrymore; a co-production between Mandate Pictures and Barrymore's Flower Films. The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Casting

On August 12, 2007, it was announced that Elliot Page would play the lead role in the film, while Alia Shawkat, Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stern and Carlo Alban were in early talks to join the cast. On August 14, 2007, Landon Pigg, Jimmy Fallon, Kristen Wiig, Zoë Bell, Eve, Drew Barrymore and Andrew Wilson were also in final talks to join the film, Juliette Lewis was added to the cast, playing Iron Maven (a play on Iron Maiden) and on August 18, 2007, Ari Graynor and Har Mar Superstar joined the cast of the film, playing Eva Destruction (a play on Eve of Destruction) and the Fight Attendants Coach. Whip it is the feature-film debut of Pigg.

Music

The Section Quartet scored the music for the film and on its soundtrack. The soundtrack also contains "Knocked Up" performed by Kings Of Leon, "Pot Kettle Black" performed by Tilly and the Wall, "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" performed by Ramones, "What's the Altitude" performed by Cut Chemist and Hymnal, "Bang On" performed by The Breeders, "Dead Sound" performed by The Raveonettes, "Blue Turning Grey" performed by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, "Your Arms Around Me" performed by Jens Lekman, "Learnalilgivinanlovin" performed by Gotye, "Boys Wanna Be Her" performed by Peaches, "Jolene" performed by Dolly Parton, "Caught Up in You" performed by 38 Special, "Never My Love" performed by Har Mar Superstar and Adam Green, "Black Gloves" performed by Goose, "Crown of Age" performed by The Ettes, "High Times" performed by Landon Pigg and Turbo Fruits, "Unattainable" performed by Little Joy, "Doing it Right" performed by The Go! Team, "Breeze" performed by Apollo Sunshine, "Kids" performed by MGMT, "Fun Dream Love Dream" performed by Turbo Fruits, "Know How" performed by Young MC, "The Road to Austin" performed by The Section Quartet, "No Surprises" performed by Radiohead, "Domingo no Parque" performed by Gilberto Gil, "Lollipop" performed by Squeak E. Clean and Desert Eagles and other songs performed by other song performers.

Release

Theatrical release

Whip It was theatrically released on October 2, 2009 in the United States. Fox Searchlight Pictures distributed the film to 1,721 screens in the United States. [1]

Premiere

Toronto Roller Derby skaters play an exhibition bout at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Whip It, September 13, 2009 ToRD at Whip It premiere.JPG
Toronto Roller Derby skaters play an exhibition bout at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Whip It, September 13, 2009

The world premiere of the film was held at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [8] The majority of the film's main cast attended the premiere. As part of the festivities, members of local league Toronto Roller Derby held an exhibition bout at Yonge Dundas Square in downtown Toronto. [8] Toronto Roller Derby skaters, like those in other cities with major roller derby leagues, also helped promote the film in advance of the screening by wearing costumes from the film and skating around town and performing stunts while handing out flyers and giveaway items. Toronto Roller Derby credits their luck in being able to skate at the festival for helping expand their fanbase as well as their skater rosters. [9]

Home media

Whip It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 26, 2010 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Reception

Critical response

Eve was praised by critics for her performance. Eve Whip It TIFF09.jpg
Eve was praised by critics for her performance.

Critical reception for Whip It was generally positive. As of September 2023, the film holds an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 193 reviews with an average score of 7/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "While made from overly familiar ingredients, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut has enough charm, energy, and good-natured humor to transcend its many clichés". [10] Metacritic calculated an average score of 68, based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [11]

A. O. Scott called the film "predictable", but said "You might, nonetheless, want to see this movie, even—or maybe especially—if you have seen Billy Elliot or Bend It Like Beckham . Familiarity is not always a bad thing, and if the script, by Shauna Cross, piles sports movie and coming-of-age touchstones into a veritable cairn of clichés, the cast shows enough agility and conviction to make them seem almost fresh." [12] Roger Ebert said it's a "coming-together of two free spirits, Drew Barrymore and [Elliot] Page, and while it may not reflect the kind of female empowerment Gloria Steinem had in mind, it has guts, charm, and a black-and-blue sweetness." [13] According to the Miami Herald , "Whip It is completely predictable from the first frame. It also is ridiculously, utterly entertaining. Drew Barrymore's smashing directorial debut harkens back to an era in which Hollywood studio pictures could still move and enthrall the audience while plying in hoary cliches." [14]

Box office

Whip It was financially unsuccessful. [2] [15] [16] Initial studio estimates showed Whip It in a tie for #6 in its opening weekend, tying with the widely released Capitalism: A Love Story , and it wound up taking sixth place with $4,650,812. [17] The film grossed $13,043,363 in North America. It grossed $3,589,672 in foreign movie sales, for a grand total of $16,633,035 worldwide. Production cost of the film was $15 million. [1]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResult
2009 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Perseverance AwardDrew BarrymoreNominated
Stockholm Film Festival Bronze Horse Award Drew BarrymoreNominated
Women Film Critics Circle Awards Best Comedic Actress Elliot Page Nominated
Women's Image Network Awards Outstanding Actress Feature FilmElliot PageNominated
Drew BarrymoreNominated
2010 Dorian Awards Campy Film of the YearWhip It!Nominated

Soundtrack

Whip It
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedSeptember 29, 2009
Recorded2009
Genre Movie Soundtrack
Length58:28
Label Rhino Entertainment
Producer Various Artists

The film has a 58-song playlist, with a wide range of styles and genres. [18] Nineteen tracks appear on the CD of the soundtrack, with additional tracks at various MP3 stores. According to Allmusic, "The disc is a blend of familiar old standbys (including a glittering remix of the Chordettes' "Lollipop") and indie acts (among them Barrymore's ex-boyfriend Fabrizio Moretti's band Little Joy), achieving the kind of safely edgy balance that embodies the Fox Searchlight aesthetic (that is, it's quirky enough to appeal to the cool kids, but never strays too far from the mainstream)." [19]

Track listing

  1. Tilly and the Wall – "Pot Kettle Black"
  2. Ramones – "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"
  3. Cut Chemist featuring Hymnal – "What's the Altitude"
  4. The Breeders – "Bang On"
  5. The Raveonettes – "Dead Sound"
  6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – "Blue Turning Grey"
  7. Jens Lekman – "Your Arms Around Me"
  8. Gotye – "Learnalilgivinanlovin"
  9. Peaches – "Boys Wanna Be Her"
  10. Dolly Parton – "Jolene"
  11. 38 Special – "Caught Up in You"
  12. Har Mar Superstar featuring Adam Green – "Never My Love"
  13. Goose – "Black Gloves"
  14. The Ettes – "Crown of Age"
  15. Landon Pigg featuring Turbo Fruits – "High Times"
  16. Little Joy – "Unattainable"
  17. The Chordettes – "Lollipop (Squeak E. Clean & Desert Eagles remix)"
  18. The Go! Team – "Doing it Right"
  19. Apollo Sunshine – "Breeze"
  20. MGMT – "Kids"
  21. Turbo Fruits – "Fun Dream Love Dream" (Amazon MP3 version track)
  23. Young MC – "Know How" (iTunes version bonus track)
  24. The Section Quartet – "The Road to Austin" (iTunes version bonus track)
  25. Radiohead – "No Surprises"
  26. Gilberto Gil – "Domingo no Parque"

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Credited as Ellen Page

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drew Barrymore</span> American actress (born 1975)

Drew Blythe Barrymore is an American actress, producer, talk show host, author and businesswoman. A member of the Barrymore family of actors, she has received several awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for nine Emmy Awards and a British Academy Film Award. Barrymore received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roller skating</span> Sport, activity, or form of transportation

Roller skating is the act of travelling on surfaces with roller skates. It is a recreational activity, a sport, and a form of transportation. Roller rinks and skate parks are built for roller skating, though it also takes place on streets, sidewalks, and bike paths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roller derby</span> Contact sport on roller skates

Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played on an oval track by two teams of five skaters. It is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, though it is most popular in the United States.

<i>Roller Boogie</i> 1979 American musical film

Roller Boogie is a 1979 American teen musical exploitation film directed by Mark L. Lester and starring Linda Blair, Jim Bray, Beverly Garland, Roger Perry, Mark Goddard, Jimmy Van Patten, and Kimberly Beck. Set in the Venice suburb of Los Angeles at the height of the roller skating fad of the late 1970s, it follows an upper-class young woman (Blair) who falls in love with a working class fellow skater (Bray) while the two seek to thwart efforts from a powerful mobster attempting to acquire the land where a popular roller rink is located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Wiig</span> American actress and comedian (born 1973)

Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Wiig achieved stardom during her seven-season tenure on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 2005 to 2012.

Barry Mendel is an American film producer. Mendel first produced Wes Anderson’s Rushmore starring Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, which won two Film Independent Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor. This was followed by The Sixth Sense, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture. Subsequently, he produced Shyamalan's follow-up, Unbreakable, then went back to work with Anderson on The Royal Tenenbaums, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Their collaboration continued on The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which Mendel followed by producing Joss Whedon’s feature film directorial debut, Serenity. Mendel next conceived, developed and produced Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg, which was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture. He then produced Whip It, Drew Barrymore’s debut as a feature director, which starred Elliot Page and Kristen Wiig. Mendel produced another film with Page, Peacock, which co-starred Cillian Murphy and Susan Sarandon.

Texas Roller Derby (TXRD), formerly known as Texas Lonestar Rollergirls, is a banked-track roller derby league based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2001, TXRD is one of several leagues considered responsible for the modern roller derby revival. It is skater owned and operated. In 2006, the skaters of TXRD were featured in a 13-episode television series on A&E titled Rollergirls, which contributed to the renewed international popularity of women's roller derby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ari Graynor</span> American actress

Ariel Geltman Graynor is an American actress, known for her roles in TV series such as I'm Dying Up Here, The Sopranos, and Fringe, in stage productions such as Brooklyn Boy and The Little Dog Laughed, and in films such as Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, The Sitter and For a Good Time, Call... She also starred as Meredith Davis on the short-lived CBS television sitcom Bad Teacher in 2014 and as Leslie Abramson in the Netflix drama series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landon Pigg</span> American singer-songwriter and actor

Landon Christian Anderson Pigg is an American singer-songwriter and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoë Bell</span> New Zealand actress and stunt woman (born 1978)

Zoë E. Bell is a New Zealand stuntwoman and actress. Some of her most notable stunt-work includes doubling for Lucy Lawless in Xena: Warrior Princess and for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill.

Shauna Cross is an American author, screenwriter, and former roller derby athlete. She skated for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem" and subsequently wrote the 2007 novel Derby Girl, a fictionalized version of her experiences in the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls league. In 2009, she wrote a film adaption of the novel, Whip It, which was directed by Drew Barrymore and released in 2009. She was named one of Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch in 2008.

<i>Derby Girl</i> 2007 novel by Shauna Cross

Derby Girl is a 2007 novel by Shauna Cross. It tells the story of Bliss Cavendar, a girl from the fictional town of Bodeen, Texas, whose mother wants her to compete in beauty pageants, and seeks escape in the world of roller derby. The book was named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age.

Alexandra "Alex" Cohen is an American radio and Emmy Award winning television journalist, roller derby skater, and author.

Red Dirt Rebellion Rollergirls was Oklahoma’s only all-female banked track roller derby league. It was founded in 2007 by two women, Emily "Suzi Uzi" Matthews and Donn "Smakety Ann" Cross, with previous flat track experience. Skaters from the league built the banked track featured in the movie Whip It starring Drew Barrymore and Elliot Page.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Detroit Roller Derby (DRD) is a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Detroit, Michigan. The league was formed as Detroit Derby Girls in January 2005 and held their first bouts in February 2006. In November 2016, the league announced it had officially changed its name to Detroit Roller Derby. Detroit Roller Derby is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Toronto Roller Derby (ToRD), is a women's flat-track roller derby league in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formed in 2006, the league started play in 2007, and held its tenth season in 2016. Operated and managed by its skaters and members, ToRD has four house teams, one rookie travel team, and one WFTDA charter travel team. Since 2011, the league has operated out of a space in Downsview Park, but announced in January 2015 that they were in search of a new home. They moved to another space near Downsview Park from 2015 - 2020. When the pandemic hit they lost the venue, and postponed practices until 2022. Since then they have moved to a new venue. After the pandemic the team's Chicks Ahoy!, Gore-Gore Roller Girls, Death Track Dolls and The Smoke City Bandits have been disbanded and the teams that remain are The All Stars and The Toxins.

Sheffield Steel Roller Derby (SSRD) is a flat track roller derby league based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Founded in August 2008,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Raggidy Roller Derby</span> Sports league

Grand Raggidy Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 2005, the league is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team New Zealand Roller Derby</span> National roller derby team of New Zealand

Team New Zealand Roller Derby is the New Zealand national women's flat track roller derby team. It was founded in 2011 to compete in the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup. There was a brief name change to Aotearoa Roller Derby for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup but the league changed back to its original name in October 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Ann Arbor Roller Derby (A2RD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 2010, the league consists of two travel teams, A2RD Travel Team, which competes against teams from other leagues, as well as a home "All League" team. Ann Arbor is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Whip It (2009)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Flint, Joe (26 October 2009). "Whip It' didn't need to get whipped at box office". LA Times. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  3. ↑ Almereyda, Michael (September 23, 2009). "Stepping Into the Skates of the Director". The New York Times . Retrieved 2011-06-30.
  4. ↑ Swart, Sharon (2008-06-18). "Shauna Cross". Variety . Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  5. ↑ Serba, John (2008-08-10). "Grand Rapids skaters roll 'em in Drew Barrymore movie "Whip It!"". The Grand Rapids Press. MLive.com. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  6. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (2008-01-15). "Ellen Page to 'Whip It!' for Barrymore". Variety . Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  7. ↑ Goldstein, Gregg & Kit, Borys (2008-06-30). "Cast ready to roll on 'Whip It!'". The Hollywood Reporter . Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  8. 1 2 Block, Sheri (13 September 2009). "Barrymore whips up excitement for roller derby flick". CTV News. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  9. ↑ "2009 championship bout!". November 21, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Whip It". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Whip It Reviews". Metacritic . Red Ventures . Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  12. ↑ Scott, A. O. (October 2, 2009). "Misfits With Big Hearts and Roller-Derby Grit". The New York Times . Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  13. ↑ Ebert, Roger (September 30, 2009). "Whip It". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  14. ↑ Rodriguez, Rene (September 30, 2009). "Review: Whip It". Miami Herald . Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  15. ↑ Reynolds, Hurt (3 January 2010). "After Box Office Bummer, Whip It Heads Home". Derby News Network. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Gant, Charles (13 April 2010). "Sunny skies are a downer for UK box office". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  17. ↑ "Weekend Box Office Results for October 2-4, 2009 - Box Office Mojo". www.boxofficemojo.com.
  18. ↑ Whip It at what-song.com
  19. ↑ Whip It (Original Soundtrack) at AllMusic . Retrieved 2011-06-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.