Copernicus wants to WHIP IT in Toronto!
Published at: Sept. 14, 2009, 10:50 a.m. CST by headgeek
I've seen some incredible stuff at the Toronto Film Festival this
year, including new movies by The Coen Brothers, Pedro Almodovar,
Jason Reitman, Michael Moore, and even the Palme d'Or winner, Michael
Haneke's THE WHITE RIBBON. And yet, my favorite movie of the fest so
far is WHIP IT, directed by Drew Barrymore in her first outing behind
the lens. And judging from the frenzied crowd reaction at the world
premiere in Toronto, I'm not alone. In fact, I was comparing notes
with some friends after the screening, and the only film the group of
us could all agree was a work of pure genius was WHIP IT. Many of the
films at the fest have been innovative and important, but few can
match the charm and spirit of this movie. It has a great story, a
note-perfect perfect cast, and is expertly directed. The plot mixes
familiar coming-of-age and sports drama storylines, yet still manages
to feel fresh and original. The closest comparisons in recent years
may be LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and JUNO -- both were family comedies with
heart by emerging talents, and each share at least one other element
in common with WHIP IT, beauty pageants in the case of LITTLE MISS
SUNSHINE, and Ellen Page as the quirky teen protagonist in the case of
JUNO. Both went on to both box office and award success, and WHIP IT
is sure to follow the same trajectory.
The story, based on a novel and screenplay by Shauna Cross, follows
Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page), a teenager pressured into entering beauty
pageants by her overbearing mother (Marcia Gay Harden). Bliss is a
waitress at Barbeque joint in sleepy Bodeen, Texas, along with her
best friend, Pash (Alia Shawkat, aka Maeby from Arrested Development).
By chance, Bliss learns of a Roller Derby match happening in nearby
Austin, and convinces her friend to go on a secret trip there where
she meets Rollery Derby participants with names like Smashley Simpson
and Bloody Holly, played by Drew Barrymore, Kristin Wiig, Juliette
Lewis, Zoe Bell, and Eve. Before long, Bliss finds herself in a
secret life as a member the Hurl Scouts, a hapless, but fun-loving
team that can barely win a game. The impressive cast is rounded out
by Daniel Stern, Bliss' lovable redneck father, Jimmy Fallon as the MC
of the Roller Derby matches, and Landon Pigg as an indie rocker and
love interest. A good bit of the film focuses on the Roller Derby
competition, which keeps it unique, and the assembled actors have a
great chemistry. But most of the drama centers on the relationships
between Bliss and her family, her boyfriend, and her best friend Pash.
At some point she has major clashes with each, and not all end as you
might expect.
My favorite city, Austin, is almost another character in the film --
the allure of its indie rock and offbeat culture is ever-present,
pulling Bliss out of her provincial life into new realms of
self-discovery. And ground zero for film geeks, the Alamo Drafthouse,
even makes a cameo. In as much as DEATH PROOF and SLACKER are love
letters to Austin, Drew Barrymore has managed in some ways to upstage
Quentin Tarantino and Richard Linklater -- WHIP IT captures the
essence of Austin without being showy or overindulgent about it -- she
scarcely uses dialog or establishing shots to set the scene -- you can
just feel the place though the mentality of the characters.
Who knew that the up and coming director to watch this year would be
Drew Barrymore? Holy shit -- she's the real deal. At the premiere
she mentioned that she put her heart and soul into making this movie,
and drew upon every bit of experience she had. It shows. In a sport
where almost no one in the audience even knows the rules, she still
manages some clever camera work and editing so that you always can
follow the action and know what is going on. Michael Bay could take a
few pointers. And love scenes are as old as cinema, yet Barrymore
manages to deliver something fresh with a rocking underwater disrobing
scene that is a revelation. She has a Tarantino-like gift for
transporting the viewer through the use music that not only amplifies
the mood of the scene, but evokes personal memories, specific to each
viewer. The soundtrack gets a bit of roller-derby spirit from The
Breeders and The Ramones, and a touch of country from Dolly Parton,
but topping it off are some of my favorite indie acts like Clap Your
Hands Say Yeah and Jens Lekman. Finally, the blooper-reel,
freeze-frame closing credits are second only to THE HANGOVER in pure
grin-inducing glee.
In fact, the credits imply that there were many more scenes shot, that
seemed like a blast, but were cut. My only complaint is that the cast
is so perfectly offbeat, I wish I could have seen a bit more of the
Derby girls' off-the-rink interactions. Ultimately though, Barrymore
almost certainly made the right decision in putting the story first
and only leaving in the material that furthers the plot.
WHIP IT may not be as important as some of the other films I've seen
so far at Toronto -- sure isn't isn't exploring the roots of Nazi
Germany, how people handle death, or the problems of capitalism. But
this isn't just pure popcorn either -- it has an empowering message
for girls -- for many it may well be the most important movie for
them. But for me it means the discovery of a new talent -- director
Drew Barrymore, and I can't wait to see more.
Copernicus