Whip It (2009)

I'm not going to lie this is one of my favourite films and I cannot even pinpoint what I love most about it! The actors and actresses do a divine job in playing the characters and making them so relatable to real life people. With the dry humour and weird quirkiness that the viewers who may sometimes feel like outcasts and not understood can really connect to. The whole plot is centred around Bliss Cavendar  a girl from a small town called Bodeen in Texas, trying to find herself in a place that seems so repetitive and dull. She is stuck in a dead end job at the 'Oint Joint' diner with her best friend Pash and faces the heavy expectations of her mother in beauty paegants to which she appears to be a utter disappointment. Bliss is the typical misfit that only has a few friends and the allure of the film comes from seeing her  character develop.

The film begins with a beauty paegant that is a truly lovely set out scene with the audience watching the contestants give their answers on stage then appears Bliss and Pash trying to sort Bliss' hair out before she goes on stage. Her bright red ragged hair catches everyones attention as she walks on stage with a close up on her mothers face who looks absolutely furious at her daughter. Later on in the film when we see a couple of roller derby girls go past Bliss handing out leaflets, we get an indication of where the storyline is leading as her eyes seem to light up with the possibility. After trying out for The Scouts she earns her place on the team with her small frame and quick speed making her perfect for roller derby.  With Bliss joining the roller derby league in Austin she soon finds her inner toughness that we didn't know she had as she faces many obstacles to be where she wants to be. It is at a party that she encounters Oliver and the romance between them begins the blossom into something shown all the way through the film as it adds more to the coming of age story. When The Scouts begin to win some games which they never have done before, the hope of winning the league is insight. So the competition begins but with lots of twists and turns in the plot to keep things interesting. From a controlling mother to a cheating boyfriend who she thought loved her to a team of unexpected friends. All subplots intertwining to tell the tale of Bliss.

The finale of the film comes at the last derby match which you would expect the scouts to win but they don't but that does not ruin the journey they have all been on as they have become a tight knit family that all have each others back. We see Bliss earn the respect of the famous derby legend Iron Maiden  which leaves us all with that content feeling of a story that has been tied up nicely but not typically. 

Comparisons to the film Juno could be made here with the Ellen Page playing similar characters in the two films, but I personally feel that Whip It has more to offer with the amazing cast that never fail to plaster a smile on your face. Throughout the film, a fun highly charged atmosphere is created to keep you interested with a witty dialogue and some action from the derby scenes. 

 My Final Comment - It is a feel good film sure to lighten any mood.