The trailer for Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It has been released, and if I told you the logline, you could pretty much create this trailer in your head. So why am I actually kind of heartened and hopeful for the movie?
Because honestly, I'm a little OD'd on teenage boy coming-of-age stories right now (at Sundance, you tend to unwittingly stock up on these like a bear fattening up for the winter), and it's nice to see the rare mainstream film that focuses on a girl. How refreshing, too, that Ellen Page's character isn't solely defined by her relationship with a love interest or some internecine girl-on-girl rivalry -- instead, she's allowed to idolize and learn from other women. It's clear that Barrymore embraced that spirit and cast actresses she admired, and it's good that someone finally thought, "Hey, let's give Kristen Wiig an actual role instead of just letting her steal scenes."
I'm not expecting Whip It to reinvent the roller-skate wheel -- like the roller derby team's exultations at the end of this trailer, it'd be just as nice if everyone gave it their all and had a good time.
VERDICT: Ready to lace up