Whip It

Whip It is a 2009 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Drew Barrymore in her directorial debut and written by Shauna Cross, based on her 2007 novel Derby Girl. The film is co-produced by Barrymore and Barry Mendel. It stars Elliot Page as a teenager from the fictional town of Bodeen, Texas, who joins a roller derby team. The film also stars Barrymore, Alia Shawkat, Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stern, Carlo Alban, Landon Pigg, Jimmy Fallon, Kristen Wiig, Zoë Bell, Eve, Andrew Wilson, Juliette Lewis, and Ari Graynor. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2009 and was theatrically released on October 2, 2009 in the United States by Fox Searchlight Pictures. It received positive reviews from critics but was a box office disappointment, grossing $16.6 million worldwide against its $15 million budget. It received two WIN Award nominations for Outstanding Actress, as well as Feature Film for Page and Barrymore, respectively. 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 that 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 friends with her teammates who include Maggie Mayhem, Bloody Holly, Rosa Sparks, 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.