So what’s it all about?

Whip It is a 2009 film directed by Drew Barrymore and written by Shauna Cross, based on Cross’s novel Derby Girl. The film is Barrymore’s directorial debut. The film stars Ellen Page as Bliss Cavendar, a small town teenager who joins a roller derby team she discovers in Austin, Texas.

Drew Barrymore’s direction provides the heat of the action in the Derby girl races, it’s just that the races aren’t as explosive or violent as expected. They are quite tame. There is of course the occasional punch thrown and some moderate pushing, but this lacks all the power of the way players treat each other in say, Canadian ice hockey, American football or British rugby.

I’m probably the wrong person to review this movie because I’m not a female teenager. There’s no doubt the screenplay’s directed towards young girls, particularly those looking for an action sport. It’s just that the action is so lacking during the races and the screenplay so average compared to quality movies, but probably exactly right for its target audience.

I did laugh at one line some five minutes before the end of the movie. I quite expected it would be much more amusing, perhaps I just missed the jokes.

Okay yes I admit it, the pull of Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore was enough to get me to see this movie and neither failed. It’s more that the action and the obvious screenwriting was just too lame for my expectations.

I really can’t see where they spent their $50 million unless it was on the director and Ellen Page’s salaries. Half of the movie was set inside an empty hangar, I can only expect the majority of the money went towards promoting the movie.

Some movies I watch time and time again perhaps over the course of time. This is one of them. It’s not a keeper.

kids rating 3 stars***

It’s a Disney movie so you should know what to expect, accept it didn’t do it for me; it didn’t feel like a family movie, just a kid’s movie. In truth, this should be a 6 year old’s review of how they saw it.

Luckily, having a six year old daughter gives me that point of view.

She though it was very good. She liked the dogs. She liked the way they all went to Mexico to find the dog when it went missing. She was scared when the Doberman looked like it might eat the star. She was glad when the dog was saved. It was fun.

From an older point of view the trailer was brilliant. It contained all the good lines and the good jokes from the longer version, so I could have saved over an hour of my life by just watching the trailer and missing the movie. In the end, I gained the most because I spent quality time with my daughter, which is so valuable in terms of life appreciation. We talked about the movie; she came to me for a cuddle when she was scared. She enjoyed the pizza and water.

Again, I wonder why studios need to spend so much on the cast when its audience (five to eight years old) couldn’t care less who voices the dogs? I know it sells tickets to the parents and guardians, uncles and grandparents, but why?

I was saved from the $6 double bill of High School Musical 3 because one film is enough for a six year old in one stretch, especially if you want them to spend more time reading and keeping your own sanity. I understand (from those that stayed for both films) that I saw the better one by a millions miles. Oh I feel so lucky sometimes.

I’ll go and see any Drew Barrymore film as she brings a presence to her movies. Please be in person next time as your voice only, doesn’t save the day.

Please Disney, you got it right with 101 Dalmatians and so many others. I really believed in those dogs and watch it on DVD every four months and always with my daughter.

Just show me the trailer to Beverley Hills Chihuahua on continuous loop and I’ll laugh my tail off.