Critic Reviews
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David Jenkins, Time Out
Deftly moderating her patented eye-rolling poseur shtick, Page delivers her most charismatic and least divisive performance to date as Bliss Cavendar, aka Babe Ruthless.
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Joe Baltake, Passionate Moviegoer
Barrymore's Irresistible 'Whip It': 'Kansas City Bomber' Crossed with 'Gidget'
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Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com
It's just "Footloose" goes to the roller derby.
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
It's that happiest of surprises: a multiplex movie that genuinely respects its young audience.
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Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times
For the most part, the 34-year-old Barrymore, with much of her life spent in front of the camera and more than a few impressive producing credits already in the bank, proves steady on her feet, able to handle curves and straightaways with equal grace.
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Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle
Love may be too strong a word, for me. But I'm deeply in like with Whip It.
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Simon Reynolds, Digital Spy
Led by Ellen Page, the movie finds the Juno star playing a slightly less cocksure version of the Diablo Cody creation.
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Dave White, Movies.com
Juliette Lewis and her crazy eyes pretty much make any movie better.
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Simon Miraudo, Quickflix
[Whip It] treats its mostly female cast of characters with respect, and this is (sadly) a rare treat in cinema. Hannah Montana may be this generation's Spice Girl, but Bliss Cavender is the one really waving the 'girl power' flag.
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Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
It doesn't reach for an epic scale but is comfortable in its humility, and that makes it all the more stellar...
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Simon Foster, sbs.com.au
Barrymore is just as determined to land some insightful and unexpected dramatic punches as she is with the inherent physical comedy for which the sport is renowned.
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Cris Kennedy, Screenwize
What impresses is the girl power spirit often prevalent in Barrymore's work, but also a its sense of optimism and warm heart.
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Wesley Lovell, Cinema Sight
A surprisingly energetic, provoking and entertaining coming of age story.
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Michael Bonner, Uncut Magazine [UK]
Slight narrative arc notwithstanding, there's a lot of warmth here.
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Sam Bathe, Fan The Fire
Whip It follows the classic follows the classic tropes of any indie coming-of-age film, big game showdown et al, but does it all so well you'll be instantly charmed.
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David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]
Unlike most Hollywood teen product, here fulfilment comes not from what others think of you but from what you think of yourself. In short, it's Girl Power reinvented.
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Alistair Harkness, Scotsman
Like the roller derby girls splayed out on the rink, Barrymore's film is frequently all over place but it manages to stay on its feet at the end. Just.
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Rosie Fletcher, Total Film
Part underdog sports flick, part coming-of-ager, Whip It! trades on familiar formulaics, yet Shauna Cross' smart script (based on her novel) keeps things fresh and funny.
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Henry Fitzherbert, Daily Express
The picture's heart is very much in the right place, with the characters all affectionately drawn, but boy does it drag, while efforts at raucous humour (drunkenness, a food fight) fall flat.
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Xan Brooks, Guardian [UK]
Drew Barrymore makes her directing debut with a join-the-dots sports outing that's so brightly played - and so essentially sweet-natured - that its manifest cliches come up smelling of fresh paint.
Read all 24 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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I completely loved this movie. Ellen Page is one of the best young actresses out there! A fun ensemble cast help tells the story of the misunderstood teen who finds her escape in roller derby. Drew Barrymore directorial debut simply rocks!
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Oh that Drew Barrymore can do anything...
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Whip It have a nice team of actors, especially the 'return' of Daniel Stern. Drew Barrymore's debut in direction, however bring cliches of a typical teen romantic comedy and make her movie look a mix of 'Juno', 'Footloose' and 'Thank God… More
Whip It have a nice team of actors, especially the 'return' of Daniel Stern. Drew Barrymore's debut in direction, however bring cliches of a typical teen romantic comedy and make her movie look a mix of 'Juno', 'Footloose' and 'Thank God It's Friday'.
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Despite the barrage of plot cliches and numerous jokes that fall flat, Whip It is saved by another brilliant Ellen Page performance, as well as a good soundtrack and some interesting direction here and there (courtesy of first-time director Drew Barrymore)
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At times it feels like a classic fairytale told in a contemporary setting. It's so full of charm and enthusiasm that you often forget the cliches of the whole "adolescent finding herself" storyline. Barrymore's debut into direction couldn't have really ended… More
At times it feels like a classic fairytale told in a contemporary setting. It's so full of charm and enthusiasm that you often forget the cliches of the whole "adolescent finding herself" storyline. Barrymore's debut into direction couldn't have really ended better.
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I didn't expect much from Whip it, I must admit that I was surprised that I enjoyed it. Directed by Drew Barrymore, this film is surprisingly good, funny and entertaining. Considering that this is directed by Drew Barrymore (an actress whom I never really was fond of), this film… More
I didn't expect much from Whip it, I must admit that I was surprised that I enjoyed it. Directed by Drew Barrymore, this film is surprisingly good, funny and entertaining. Considering that this is directed by Drew Barrymore (an actress whom I never really was fond of), this film is fairly accomplished. Ellen Page is great in the film, and shes come a long way since her days in Juno ( a film that I've despised and found it extremely overrated) Page is simply getting better with every role she's taking and Whip it and Inception proves it. Whip It tells the story about a girl who wants to find an outlet of which she wants to belong. She is forced to participate in beauty pageants, but it's clear her heart is elsewhere. She one day sees a bunch of roller blading girls that are distribute flyers to a roller derby. She attends and falls in love with what she sees. She starts roller blading and tries out for the team. Throughout the film she finally finds something she truly enjoys. What I love the most about this film is that it has charm. The humour is whimsical and the characters are likeable. Whip It is a fun comedy that will appeal to anyone. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and this one of Ellen Page's best roles. Considering that Drew Barrymore made this film, this is very good, I did not expect the film to be this good, but it was. Whip It along with Adventureland is one of the best coming of age comedies there is. The only difference is that the cast here are slightly better than in Adventureland. Whip It will most likely surprise you, as it did to me.
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I'm not a fan of sports movies, but this one was pretty great. Roller derby in general is neat, and for some reason I like Ellen Page more and more every time I see her in a movie. Good story. I liked how there was a happy ending in the way that is realistic, and not in the way… More
I'm not a fan of sports movies, but this one was pretty great. Roller derby in general is neat, and for some reason I like Ellen Page more and more every time I see her in a movie. Good story. I liked how there was a happy ending in the way that is realistic, and not in the way that all other predictable sports movies end.
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I was not convinced I would like this film, but despite a few irritating segments overall I thought it was witty and original, taking on the fundamentals of the cult of roller derby in a middle of nowhere town in Texas. Again Ellen Page thrives in her usual role as an indie teenager… More
I was not convinced I would like this film, but despite a few irritating segments overall I thought it was witty and original, taking on the fundamentals of the cult of roller derby in a middle of nowhere town in Texas. Again Ellen Page thrives in her usual role as an indie teenager waiting to break free of her shackles. The more I see of her work the more I appreciate her as an actress and an artist, making her roles so realistic that they are hard to disbelieve. A good start for Drew Barrymore's career behind the camera although she also thrived on screen in this one too. A soon to be classic with a good soundtrack and a nice vibe.
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Its your typical cheesy feel good sports movie that has been made a million times over.
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I absolutely love this movie, its amazing, its hilarious and really worth the watch, its a good coming of age film thats just brilliantly written and wonderfully acted that you just cant help and full in love with this movie.
Drew Barrymore made a fantastic directional debut with a… More
I absolutely love this movie, its amazing, its hilarious and really worth the watch, its a good coming of age film thats just brilliantly written and wonderfully acted that you just cant help and full in love with this movie.
Drew Barrymore made a fantastic directional debut with a fantastic movie, really worth the watch with a great cast and great comic humour!
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More than just a teen comedy, it's also a hipster revolution tucked inside a coming of age story with a killer soundtrack and some of the best actors working in Hollywood today.
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Drew Barrymore's <i>Whip It</i>, which stems from Shauna Cross' novel, whips Ellen Page into shape and mildly entertains.<p>At nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes, the predictable story is a mixed bag of fun and drama. Yes, there is the roller derby, but there… More
Drew Barrymore's <i>Whip It</i>, which stems from Shauna Cross' novel, whips Ellen Page into shape and mildly entertains.<p>At nearly 1 hour and 45 minutes, the predictable story is a mixed bag of fun and drama. Yes, there is the roller derby, but there are many parts between these portions that are tedious and uneventful, although this is where most of the meat to the story lies.</p><p>The roller derby segments aren't as big as the title makes it seem, which is a disappointment because these are the most entertaining and enjoyable moments of the film. The matches aren't intense, or extensively violent for that matter, but the characters associated with the league are a pleasure to watch. As for the rules, there is enough high level explanation to grasp the sport, but there isn't much in the way of details.</p><p>The casting and acting are a huge positive as Ellen Page has no problem taking the lead. The cast for the Hurl Cats derby team are also a delight. The only problem is that they are underdeveloped and not utilized enough outside of the derby.</p><p><i>Whip It</i> is a long ways away from a bad movie. It just lacks consistent entertainment value from start to finish to really become a masterpiece.</p>
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Whip It is more predictable than The Hulk on PCP, but nowhere nearly as entertaining. The roller derby scenes were kind of exciting but that's about it. Andrew Wilson (the 3rd Wilson brother and one of the few high points of this movie) has a line about celebrating mediocrity and… More
Whip It is more predictable than The Hulk on PCP, but nowhere nearly as entertaining. The roller derby scenes were kind of exciting but that's about it. Andrew Wilson (the 3rd Wilson brother and one of the few high points of this movie) has a line about celebrating mediocrity and that's exactly what Whip It does. It throws a somewhat decent cast in front of you but gives you very little incentive to give a shit. The story falls apart during the predictable last act and Drew Barrymore's direction is right on par with her character -- dopey and ignorable. I see why she went with a story like this for her debut, but Whip It was just a big pile of ehh. More drinking game fodder than anything...
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I read the script a few months back at my internship and HAD to see it after that. I really didn't think it was all that bad! First of all, I got a huge kick out of seeing bits of Austin (where I'm from) but I think it was translated over to film rather well! I love me some… More
I read the script a few months back at my internship and HAD to see it after that. I really didn't think it was all that bad! First of all, I got a huge kick out of seeing bits of Austin (where I'm from) but I think it was translated over to film rather well! I love me some fast paced action so I was all for it! And Daniel Stern (whom I adore) and Marcia Gay Harden (whom I also adore!) were fantastic. And when is Ellen Page not fantastic, please, I'd like to know. :)
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This was an amusing way to spend a few hours.
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Cute teeny movie.... more for girls. Nothing great but it was pass some time and maybe even laugh a couple good times.
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Great movie. Drew Barrymore did a good job on directing this movie. It was really good & Ellen Page was great in this movie as was Drew Barrymore & Kristen Wiig :) I really enjoyed this one :)
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Whip It is the kind of movie that keeps you going on a ride of laughter and emotion. A story of a girl roller-skating could not have been told any different than the way it was told here. This movie has loads of heart and soul and I will never forget how moving a small story of a girl… More
Whip It is the kind of movie that keeps you going on a ride of laughter and emotion. A story of a girl roller-skating could not have been told any different than the way it was told here. This movie has loads of heart and soul and I will never forget how moving a small story of a girl roller-skating can become. Amazing!
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I really don't care what anybody says... I loved this movie! I had no expectations for it, other than complete admiration for Ellen Page, and I was not let down. The story centers around a confused, outcast teenager coming into her own when she falls in love with the physical… More
I really don't care what anybody says... I loved this movie! I had no expectations for it, other than complete admiration for Ellen Page, and I was not let down. The story centers around a confused, outcast teenager coming into her own when she falls in love with the physical sport of women's roller derby.<p>Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with this light coming-of-age drama. Barrymore perfectly tugs at your emotions, evoking feelings of genuine happiness... it's hard not to be charmed over. Ellen Page is one of the best rising actresses, and she proves it here. Yes it was a little cliched and formulaic at times, but hell, this is one chick flick I would watch multiple times. An indie sleeper hit of 2009, check it out...
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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