Breaking Away

Directed by Peter Yates and written by Steven Tesich, Breaking Away is the story of four young men trying to figure out what to do before they go to college as one of them wants to race against a visiting group of Italian pro bicycle riders in a race. The film is a coming-of-age tale where a young man tries to find himself as he gets help from his friends while wanting to do something that matters. Starring Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley, Barbara Barrie, Robyn Douglass, and Paul Dooley. Breaking Away is a lively and touching film from Peter Yates.

Set in the small town of Bloomington, Indiana, the film revolves around four young men spending their summer bumming around unsure of what to do as one of them has adopted an Italian accent as he is excited about a group of Italian pro bicycle riders coming to Indiana for a local race. It’s a film that revolves around this young man trying to become the best bicyclist he can be yet he would also woo a college girl much to the chagrin of college preppies who have a disdain for the working-class boys as they call them cutters. Along the way, the rest of the guys cope with not just the idea of failure but also wonder if they can ever get out of Bloomington. Steven Tesich’s screenplay isn’t just a sports movie but also this compelling coming-of-age film about four guys trying to figure out themselves as a couple of them were athletes, one of them wants to marry his girlfriend, and another thinks he’s got it figured out by pretending to be Italian only to face some harsh realities.

The film’s protagonist Dave Stoller (Dennis Christopher) is in love with the Italian riders as well as culture where he would speak Italian much to the annoyance of his father Ray (Paul Dooley) while his mother Evelyn (Barbara Barrie) tries to be supportive. Dave’s friends in Mike (Dennis Quaid), Cyril (Daniel Stern), and Moocher (Jackie Earle Haley) are also supportive of Stoller’s ambition but also wonder if he will try and become like these college preppies they despise because they have money and think they’re better than everyone. Tesich’s screenplay also has humor in the way Ray reacts to the antics of his son but it also has moments that are quite touching as it play into Ray’s own previous life cutting stones to create buildings as well as some of the things Dave, Mike, Cyril, and Moocher encounter. Even as Dave would encounter reality of his own as it relates to the Italian racers who would force Dave to realize more about who he is.

Peter Yates’ direction is quite simple as it doesn’t really go for any visual tricks yet it does capture a sense of energy and realism of small town life. Shot on location in Bloomington, Indiana as well as the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington. Yates’ direction utilizes that sense of a world that is quite small but also vast where it has this world of the working class who are just living day-by-day as the four guys would swim at this old limestone quarry to pass the time while miles away would be this campus where the rich preppie college kids are. Yates’ usage of wide and medium shots play into the look of the locations as well as some of the biking scenes where it plays into the scale of the roads as well as the challenge that Stoller has to encounter in the race with the Italians. Yates also uses close-ups and some medium shots to play into the life of Stoller with his parents as well as create moments that are quite comical as it is told very naturally. There is also these somber moments between Stoller and his father late in the film as it play into the ways of the world but it also has these very important life lessons. All of which would lead to this climatic race between Stoller and his friends and a bunch of teams from college including the preps. Overall, Yates creates a witty yet exhilarating film about a young man trying to find himself with the aid of his friends and family as well as cycling.

Cinematographer Matthew F. Leonetti does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography to play into the sunny and colorful look of the scenes set in Bloomington as well as the Indiana University campus as well as some low-key lights for some of the scenes set at night. Editor Cynthia Scheider does nice work with the editing as it is mostly straightforward with some stylish cutting for a few montages and in the racing scenes. Art director Patrizia von Brandenstein and set decorator Lee Poll do terrific work with the look of the home that the Stoller family live in as well as the limestone quarry watering hole the guys hang out at.

Costume designer Betsy Cox does wonderful work with the costumes as it is mostly casual from the look of Stoller and his friends to the more stylish look of the college preps. Sound editors Michael Moyse and Dan Sable do superb work with the sound in capturing the raucous sound of the town as well as the locations in Indiana University as well as the sparse sounds of how bikes sound in a race. The film’s music largely features an array of Italian opera music that is adapted by Patrick Williams as it plays into Stoller’s obsession with Italian culture as it’s mainly used for humor as well as a romantic scene where Stoller serenades a young woman.

The casting by Jane Feinberg and Mike Fenton is great as it include some notable small roles from John Ashton as Mike’s police officer brother, Amy Wright as Moocher’s girlfriend Nancy, P.J. Soles as a sorority girl who would try to get Stoller and Cyril in trouble, and Hart Bochner as a college preppie who hates the cutters as he tries to show off and such. Robyn Douglass is wonderful as Katherine as a college student that Stoller tries to woo as he pretends to be Italian to impress her. Barbara Barrie is superb as Stoller’s mother Evelyn as this woman that is supportive of her son while trying to get her husband to eat healthy. Paul Dooley is fantastic as Stoller’s father Ray as a used-car salesman who is annoyed by his son’s Italian fascination and accent as he is just so fun to watch as well as be this sense of warmth as a man that has done a lot in his life despite his lack of any real success.

Jackie Earle Haley is excellent as Moocher as a guy who wants to commit to his girlfriend while struggling to find work as also hates being given insults relating to his height. Daniel Stern is brilliant as Cyril as a former football player struggling to find himself while being very laid-back about his approach to life where he thinks about going to college. Dennis Quaid is amazing as Mike as another former football player who is convinced that he’s never going to succeed but doesn’t want to give up as it’s a very commanding performance from Quaid. Finally, there’s Dennis Christopher in an incredible performance as Dave Stoller as a young man whose love of cycling and Italian culture has him excited for the arrival of the Italians as he then copes with realities of the world as well as his own identity as a man.

Breaking Away is a phenomenal film from Peter Yates. Featuring a great cast, a heartfelt screenplay by Steven Tesich, and some very entertaining moments. It’s a film that isn’t just this compelling sports film but also a coming-of-age film that manages to do a lot as well as create characters that audiences can root for. In the end, Breaking Away is a spectacular film from Peter Yates.

Peter Yates Films: (Summer Holiday) – (One Way Pendelum) – (Robbery) – Bullitt - (John and Mary) – (Murphy’s War) – (The Hot Rock) – (The Friends of Eddie Coyle) – (For Pete’s Sake) – (Mother, Jugs & Speed) – (The Deep) – (Eyewitness) – (Krull) – (The Dresser) – (Eleni) – (Suspect) – (The House on Carroll Street) – (An Innocent Man) – (Year of the Comet) – (Roommates) – (The Run of the Country) – (Curtain Call) – (Don Quixote (2000 film))

© thevoid99 2016

Rookie of the Year

Directed by Daniel Stern and written by Sam Harper, Rookie of the Year is the story of a young boy who would pitch for the Chicago Cubs after getting his arm injured as it’s later healed with tightened tendons that gives him incredible pitching powers. It’s a film that plays into a boy wanting to be good in baseball where an injury would give his right arm something special as he would get to live his dream but also learn about the price of fame. Starring Thomas Ian Nicholas, Gary Busey, Amy Morton, Bruce Altman, Albert Hall, Dan Hedaya, Eddie Bracken, Daniel Stern, and John Candy. Rookie of the Year is a delightful film from Daniel Stern.

What happens to a boy when he gets injured during a little league game where his right arm is healed with tighten tendons that allows him to pitch at great speed where he would pitch for the Chicago Cubs? That is pretty much the premise of the film as it revolves around a 12-year old boy who just wants to be good at baseball but he’s never really had the chance to play until one day where he fills in and things go wrong when he slips on a ball and breaks his arm. Once his arm is healed, he learns that his tendons have tightened more than it should which allows him to exert great force where he would unknowingly throw a ball back from the outfield bleachers to home plate as he would get this attention from Cubs management. There, Henry Rowengartner (Thomas Ian Nicholas) would start out as a relief pitcher for the Cubs as he would be mentored by his hero in the aging starting pitcher Chet “Rocket” Steadman (Gary Busey) as he would also learn the dark side of being famous.

The film’s screenplay by Sam Harper doesn’t just showcase a boy living his dream to play in the major league but also be forced to grow up faster than he should when it comes to being used to sell things that he has no clue about. Especially when he’s being exploited by his mother’s boyfriend Jack Bradfield (Bruce Altman) as well as Cubs general manager Larry “Fish” Fisher (Dan Hedaya) as the latter is looking to take over the Cubs altogether from his uncle Bob Carson (Eddie Bracken). It is there that Henry learns about these things as it prevents him from being with his friends and just being a kid while Steadman, whose career is on the way out, tells him about not just his own bitterness about the game but also what happens when the gift that Henry is bestowed upon goes away. While there is an element of seriousness that plays into the world of baseball, Harper does at least maintain a sense of innocence as well as some humor into the world of baseball such as how Henry manages to enjoy the game.

Daniel Stern’s direction is quite simple as he shoots the film on location in Chicago and other nearby cities including Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park in Chicago as Dodger Stadium. Much of Stern’s compositions are simple as well as stylish that includes some low angle shots, close-ups, and medium shots to reveal what goes on in the field and at the dugout. Some of it is played for laughs as it involves Stern’s character Phil Brickma who is this eccentric pitching coach. Yet, Stern does maintain a balance of comedy and light-drama as it plays into a boy coming of age as a major league pitcher as he copes with not just fame but its demands where he would make a very adult decision. Stern’s approach to the story not only succeeds in making it accessible for a young audience but also in not talking them down with heavy-handed ideas about fame and money. All of which plays into the joy of playing baseball as its climax is set during a division playoff. Overall, Stern creates a very fun and engaging film about a young boy who lives the dream in pitching for the Chicago Cubs.

Cinematographer Jack N. Green does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s very simple for the daytime exterior scenes while being straightforward for the interior scenes and some scenes set at night. Editors Donn Cambern and Raja Gosnell do nice work with the editing as it‘s straightforward with a few montages and some rhythmic cuts for the film‘s humor. Production designer Steven J. Jordan, with set decorator Leslie Bloom and art director William Arnold, does brilliant work with the home that Henry and his mom live in as well as the Cubs locker room.

Costume designer Jay Hurley does terrific work as most of the clothes are casual along with some design of the baseball uniforms. Visual effects supervisor Erik Henry does fine work with the minimal visual effects which often revolves around the fastball that Henry throws. Sound editor Stephen Hunter Flick does superb work with the sound from the sound of the crowd at the ball game to the sound effects of the fastball. The film’s music by Bill Conti is amazing for its orchestral score as it is filled with soaring string arrangements with elements of guitar wails to play into the thrill of sports as the soundtrack features elements of rock and pop music.

The casting by Linda Lowy is incredible as it features notable small roles from Colombe Jacobsen as Henry’s crush Becky, W. Earl Brown as the Cubs catcher Frick, Ross Lehman as Henry’s doctor, Tom Milanovich as the notorious Mets hitter Heddo, and cameo appearances from Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, and Pedro Guerrero as themselves. Patrick LaBrecque and Robert Hy Gorman are terrific in their respective roles as Henry’s friends George and Clark who try to cope with Henry’s sudden fame which George gets jealous of. Daniel Stern is hilarious as the pitching coach Phil Brickma as he often causes some trouble to others or to himself. Albert Hall is excellent as the Cubs manager Sal Martinella who always mispronounces Henry’s surname while Dan Hedaya is superb as the Cubs general manager Fisher who would exploit Henry in the hopes of making money and become the Cubs’ new owner.  Bruce Altman is fantastic as Mary’s boyfriend Jack who would become Henry’s manager and later try to get him all sorts of things to make money much to Henry’s disgust. 

John Candy is great in one of his final performances as Cubs announcer Cliff Murdoch as Candy brings a lot of funny comments throughout the film.  Amy Morton is amazing as Henry’s mom Mary as someone who makes sure that Henry doesn’t lose himself to the trappings of fame as she becomes suspicious of Jack’s work as she becomes close with Steadman. Gary Busey is brilliant as Chet Steadman as an aging pitcher who is asked to mentor Henry as he copes with not just his fading career but also the fact that he’s not as good as he once was as he tells Henry about what to expect when that gift is gone. Finally, there’s Thomas Ian Nicholas in a marvelous performance as Henry Rowengartner as a 12-year old kid who just wants to be good at baseball where an injury to his arm gives him unlikely throwing power as he copes with being in the major leagues and its demands as Nicholas adds a maturity to his role that makes the character very likeable.

Rookie of the Year is a remarkable film from Daniel Stern. Armed with a great cast and an engaging story about the idea of being in the major leagues, it’s a film that is very accessible for families as well as offer something compelling for baseball fans. In the end, Rookie of the Year is a fantastic film from Daniel Stern.

© thevoid99 2015

Stardust Memories

Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, Stardust Memories is about a filmmaker who finds himself compromised as he yearns to make more serious films while dealing with fans who preferred his earlier, funnier work. Meanwhile, the filmmaker is also dealing with the women in his life as he thinks about an old girlfriend of his. The film has Allen paying tribute to one of his favorite filmmakers in Federico Fellini as he pays homage to Fellini’s 1963 classic 8 ½ in grand style. Also starring Charlotte Rampling, Jessica Harper, Marie-Christine Barrault, and Tony Roberts. Stardust Memories is a whimsical yet ravishing film from Woody Allen.

After a successful period in making comedies and then suddenly going into more serious work, filmmaker Sandy Bates (Woody Allen) is struggling to finish a new film as studio executives and producers want him to create a new ending. Meanwhile, Bates is asked to go to a film festival of his own work as he reluctantly decides to attend as he faces various questions from fans and admirers who question about his more recent work as they all prefer his earlier and funnier films of the past. During his stay at the Stardust Hotel for the festival’s duration, Bates is haunted by memories of his old girlfriend Dory (Charlotte Rampling) whom he constantly thinks about while is currently dating a French woman named Isobel (Marie-Christine Barrault) who had just left her husband.

During the festival, Sandy befriends a classical violinist named Daisy (Jessica Harper) whose boyfriend Jack (John Rothman) is a fan of Sandy’s work as the two talk about various things. Sandy also endures memories of his past while continually being confronted by people over his work and contributing to society as his friend Tony (Tony Roberts) attends the festival to talk with fans about Sandy’s work. Still haunted by memories of Dory, Sandy and Daisy take a drive around town where they would encounter a festival about aliens landing on Earth. For Sandy, the event would only add to his own existential issues about what to do with his life and career.

The film is about a filmmaker whose work as an artist comes into question by everyone as he attends a film festival of his work where he deals with fans, critics, and a French girlfriend with two kids leading to an existential crisis that also involves memories of an old flame. All of these stories is told in a very loose, chaotic script as Woody Allen explores the world of fame and art in a very surreal yet humorous fashion as he pays tribute to Federico Fellini’s 8 ½. The screenplay has Allen delving into these themes while playing with the world of fiction and non-fiction as his Sandy Bates character is a man who is struggling to deal with himself as he wonders what should he do in his life as he has all of these people around him.

Allen’s direction exudes style in the way he pays homage to Fellini’s 8 ½ by opening the film in the same way Fellini opened that film as it is later followed strange surreal moments only to be cut as studio executives and producers stop the picture criticizing what Bates is trying to do. With a lot of gorgeous compositions and scenes where’s there’s lots of characters surrounding Bates as they talk and talk. It’s a film where Allen explores the downside of fame and being an artist while showing a man who had lost his muse and is struggling to deal with this French woman who had left her husband and brings her children along. Allen has his character deal with a lot of these issues while going into strange encounters where a lot of is Fellini-esque to emphasize Bates’ ordeal as he tries to ponder what to do. Overall, Allen creates a very witty tribute to Federico Fellini as well as an engaging piece on the trappings of fame.

Cinematographer Gordon Willis does a brilliant job with the film‘s black-and-white cinematography to play up the Fellini-esque visual style that Allen wants as there‘s some amazing daytime scenery of the beach scenes to more entrancing shots with shades for some of the film‘s interior shots. Editor Susan E. Morse does a fantastic job with the editing to create rhythmic cuts for some of the film’s fanatical scenes involving fans while utilizing some amazing jump-cuts for Bates’ recollection of his last meeting with Dory as it is one of the most touching moments of the film.

Production designer Mel Bourne, along with set decorator Steven J. Jordan and art director Michael Molly, do wonderful work with the set pieces such as the Stardust hotel that Bates stays in to the apartment he lives in filled with famous photographs in the background. Costume designer Santo Loquasto does a nice job with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual clothing to more stylish dresses to represent the different women in Bates‘ life. Sound editor Dan Sable does a terrific job with the sound that is most notable in the film’s opening scene as Bates is talking but his voice isn’t heard due to the fantasy that he’s living in. The film’s music soundtrack includes an array of jazz and standard pieces from people like Louis Armstrong, Cole Porter, Django Reinhardt, Glenn Miller, and Chick Webb.

The casting by Juliet Taylor is the major highlight of the film for the people that is cast including the extras to maintain a certain look that is in tribute to the strange world of Federico Fellini. Making small appearances include Daniel Stern as a young actor, Amy Wright as a fan who wants to sleep with Bates, Anne De Salvo as Bates’ needy sister, longtime Allen muse Louise Lasser in a cameo as Bates’ secretary, Laraine Newman as a studio executive, Judith Roberts as a lounge singer. Helen Hanft as festival host/film critic Vivian Orkin, John Rothman as Daisy’s boyfriend Jack, and in her film debut, Sharon Stone as an ingenue who Bates sees in the film’s opening sequence. Tony Roberts is very good as Bates’ friend and actor Tony who tries to help Bates deal with his issues while Marie-Christine Barrault is wonderful as Bates’ caring girlfriend Isobel.

Jessica Harper is excellent as the smart and low-key Daisy who befriends Bates as she is interested in his views of the world as she reveals her own frustrations in being a classical musician. Charlotte Rampling is radiant as Bates’ former flame Dory who appears in strange flashback scenes as she plays the woman Bates thinks is perfect only to be hampered by her own insecurities as it’s a truly mesmerizing performance for the British actress. Finally, there’s Woody Allen in a very funny performance as Sandy Bates as Allen takes his usual persona to explore a man going into an existential crisis while dealing with fame and all sorts of things in a performance that is a joy to watch.

Stardust Memories is a charming yet very playful comedy from Woody Allen. Featuring great performances from Charlotte Rampling and Jessica Harper, the film is among one of Allen’s most stylish and confrontational films as he explores the downside of fame. Notably as it pays tribute to Federico Fellini in a grand way that Fellini fans will definitely enjoy. In the end, Stardust Memories is a marvelous film from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What’s Up Tiger Lily? - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories-Oedipus Wrecks - Crimes & Misdemeanors - Alice - Shadows & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don't Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2012

Whip It

In an age where young girls are given to look a certain way and act in a certain way. One of the most daring films to come out in 2009 came from one of American cinema’s most revered actresses in Drew Barrymore. Though known for her days as a child star with films like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Firestarter and later solidifying herself as one of the top-draw actresses of the late 90s and early 21st Century. Barrymore took a step further into her role outside of acting as made her own directorial debut with a film based on the world of roller-derby called Whip It.

Based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, Whip It tells the story of a 17-year old girl from the fictional Bodeen, Texas as she wants to escape a world of beauty pageants that her mother wants to compete in. When she and a friend go to Austin and check out the world of roller-derby, she takes in finding the escape she needed. Directed by Drew Barrymore with Cross writing the screenplay, the film is a tale of a teenage girl finding her own voice while trying to deal with her strict, caring mother. Starring Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat, Daniel Stern, Kristen Wiig, Zoe Bell, Eve, Jimmy Fallon, Carlos Alban, Juliette Lewis, Ari Graynor, Andrew Wilson, Landon Piig, Drew Barrymore, and Marcia Gay Harden. Whip It is an extraordinary yet touching film from Drew Barrymore.

Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is a 17-year old high school student from Bodeen, Texas who is unsure what to do with her life. With her mother Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden) trying to get her to win a local beauty pageant that she won many years ago. Bliss’ attempts at rebellion by dyeing her hair blue has only baffled her mother while her dad Earl (Daniel Stern) wonders what is up with Bliss. When Bliss isn’t at school, she works at a local restaurant with best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) and their boss Birdman (Carlos Alban). Then one day on a trip to Austin with her mother and younger sister Shania (Eulala Scheel), Bliss finds a flyer for a roller-derby exhibition as she and Pash decide to go without telling their parents.

Bliss’ discovery of the world of roller-derby becomes life-changing as she saw a match between the two-time reigning champions the Holy Rollers led by Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis) against the rag-tag Hurl Scouts. Though the Hurl Scouts lost, Bliss was still impressed by their no-holds-barred attitude as the team consisted of Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig), Rosa Sparks (Eve), Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell), and Smashley Simpson (Drew Barrymore). After Maggie suggests that Bliss should try out, Bliss does though she had to wear her old Barbie doll skates where she manages to impress the Hurl Scouts coach Razor (Andrew Wilson) as she along with the Manson sisters (Kristen Adolfi and Rachel Piplica) to join the team. While Bliss decides to hide her new role as a roller derby girl from her parents, only Pash and Birdman know with Pash helping along.

With Bliss playing her first game as Babe Ruthless, she manages to impress the fans along with her teammates even though they lost. Bliss and Pash goes to a party that included many in the scene. Among them was the game’s announcer “Hot Tub” Johnny Rocket (Jimmy Fallon) and a local musician named Oliver (Landon Piig) who Bliss falls for. While the party was fun, Bliss still had to deal with her mother’s desire for Bliss to succeed at an upcoming beauty pageant. Bliss found escape when Oliver visited as a relationship starts to blossom while realizing that the Hurl Scouts really wanted to win some games. Thanks to Bliss’ speed and Razor’s new plays, the Hurl Scouts start to become winners as things are going great. Even as Bliss becomes the league’s new poster girl. Then one night after a game, the league gets in trouble with the fire marshal as Bliss manages to leave with Oliver though Pash got arrested for carrying alcohol.

Though Bliss would have a romantic night with Oliver, she comes home where her parents found out what she’s been up to. Bliss leaves home as she tries to call Oliver while Iron Maven finds out that Bliss lied about her age to the league as she threatens to reveal the truth. With things starting to fall apart and the championship game is underway, Bliss tries to mend fences with her mother and Pash. Even as Earl discovers more about Bliss’ role in the roller-derby circuit as he goes to the Hurl Scouts for help about the upcoming game.

While the film is a mixture of a sports comedy as well as a light mother-daughter drama, it’s really about a young girl trying to find her place in the world while seeking the approval of her mother. Still, screenwriter Shauna Cross goes deep into the world of roller-derby and why it was able to attract someone as out of place as Bliss is. For Bliss, it’s not that she despises the world of beauty pageant entirely. She’s just trying to find some escape not just from well-meaning but demanding mother but also from the dull world that is Bodeen, Texas.

Another reason for Bliss to enter this rough-and-tumble world of roller derby is to find an outlet where she can be tough and deal with whatever people she has to deal with at home like a fellow pageant contestant/cheerleader or Iron Maven, the roller-derby queen. Though Maven isn’t a traditional antagonist, she is someone who feels a bit threatened by Bliss’ arrival while would be the one who discovers her true age. Bliss also discovers first love in a young rock musician named Oliver who would be the one to help get out of her shell but also put her in reckless situations that would nearly cost her friendship with Pash.

Cross’ screenplay is wonderful not just for its structure but also in character development. It’s not just Bliss that starts off as a nerdy outsider who turns into a badass, confident young woman. It’s also her mother Brooke who is this woman that has aspirations for her daughter to have a much better life than she had. Though she works as a mail carrier and likes to put Bliss into the world of beauty pageants, she always had the best intentions though not in the right way. Even though her husband Earl gets a bit smothered by Brooke, he is still able to be by her side when Bliss’ secret is revealed. Yet when she finds Bliss wallowing over Oliver, Brooke becomes the kind of woman that everyone expects in a mother and more as she also loosens up a bit.

Cross’ screenplay succeeds in not just fleshing out characters and create some funny and inspiring moments. It also gives Drew Barrymore a chance to create a film that brings Cross’ story to life. Barrymore’s direction is mostly straightforward with her presentation towards comedy and light-drama. Yet, she makes sure that the story the audience is telling is about not just Bliss but also the relationship with her mother and her friends. Barrymore always keeps the camera moving though still when it comes to conversation scenes with the Hurl Scouts. The scenes where the roller-derby is taking place definitely is one of the film’s highlights as she always has the camera following the action. Whether it’s from the viewpoint an audience member watching from the nose-bleed seats or inside the roller-derby stage.

Barrymore also allows the audience to relax and enjoy a few sequences and the scenery of where the film takes place. Notably Austin for some scenes as it was mostly shot in suburbs of Detroit. Still, Barrymore was able to give the idea that it could’ve been shot anywhere near Austin since it’s a lively place. While the film does play up to a few formulas expected in a coming-of-age film, Barrymore is able to play around with it while maintaining the heart of the story of a young girl finding her own identity. Overall, this is definitely a solid yet entertaining directorial debut for Drew Barrymore.

Helping Barrymore with her vision is famed Wes Anderson cinematographer Robert Yeomen. Yeomen’s photography is filled with an amazing array of colorful shots for many of the film’s exterior settings along with wonderful steadicam shots for the roller derby scenes. While it may not have the blaring looks that he did for Wes Anderson, Yeomen does create some inspiring work. Notably the pool scene where blue lights and dark shading around the pool is truly inspiring as Yeomen really captures something magical with that scene.

Editor Dylan Tichenor does a very good job with the film’s editing by maintaining a leisured pace for the film. Even as he create some great sequences which includes Bliss’ training montage set to the .38 Special song Caught Up In You. It’s definitely masterful in what is expected for a genre-bending coming-of-age comedy while it also plays up to the intensity of the roller-derby scenes.

Production designer Kevin Kavanaugh and set decorator Meg Everist do an amazing job with the look of the Roller Derby rink as well as the restaurant that Bliss works in which includes a large pig on top of the building. Costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas does excellent work with the costumes including the pageant dresses and the costumes that the roller derby girls wear. Sound editor Christopher Scarabosio does some fantastic work with the sound that includes the intense atmosphere of the roller derby with the crowd roaring along with the sounds of roller skates driving through the rink. It’s definitely something that is expected in a rousing yet fun film with that kind of sound.

The film’s score by the Section Quartet is mostly a low-key score with serene string quartet pieces to play up a bit of the film‘s light-drama. Helping with the film’s soundtrack is music supervisor Randall Poster as he creates a truly diverse soundtrack filled with all kinds of music. From old-school acts like the Ramones, Dolly Parton, .38 Special, and the Breeders to indie acts like MGMT, Jens Lekman, the Raveonettes, the Go Team!, Peaches, Har Mar Superstar, and many others. It’s definitely a killer soundtrack that has something for everyone.

The casting by Justine Baddeley and Kim Davis-Wagner is definitely a real highlight as there are numerous standouts in various small roles. Whether its Sarah Habel as the bitchy high school queen Corbi, Shannon Eagen as the friendly pageant contestant Amber, Doug Minckiewicz as Corbi’s boyfriend Colby, and indie music performer Har Mar Superstar as a rival coach. They all bring something memorable to their roles. Other notable small roles include Carlos Alban as Bliss and Pash’s restaurant manager Birdman, Eulala Scheel as Bliss’ younger sister Shania, Kristin Adolfi and Rachel Piplica as the Manson Sisters, Ari Graynor as roller derby queen Eva Destruction, and Jimmy Fallon as the very funny roller derby MC “Hot Tub” Johnny Rocket.

Andrew Wilson is very good as the Hurl Scouts coach Razor with his silly jean-shorts look and his ability to create excellent plays. Landon Piig is pretty good as Oliver, Bliss’ rocker love interest who helps Bliss explore more of herself though would play a part into her own individuality. Zoe Bell is wonderful as the tough Bloody Holly while Eve rocks as the no-nonsense Rosa Sparks. Drew Barrymore is hilarious as Smashley Simpson who acts like a ditz and often does silly things on and off the rink. Kristen Wiig is great as Maggie Mayhem, the straight person of the Hurl Scouts who gives Bliss some advice about what mothers go through in raising kids. Juliette Lewis is also great as Bliss’ roller-derby rival Iron Maven as a tough woman who feels threatened by Bliss’ arrival while wanting to be a funny sort of bully.

Daniel Stern is phenomenal as Earl, Bliss’ dad who has to deal with his neighbor and his football-playing sons while wanting to escape his wife’s strict world. Stern hasn’t had a big major role in years as it’s definitely a reminder of what a great actor he is as he also delivers some of the film’s funniest one-liners. Alia Shawkat is superb as Pash, Bliss’ best friend who helps her become a roller-derby player only to feel slighted when Bliss goes further into the world of roller-derby and Oliver. It’s definitely a fantastic supporting performance as Shawkat can be funny and also serious in a role that could’ve been clichéd.

Marcia Gay Harden is amazing as Brooke, Bliss’ strict though well-meaning mother. Harden exudes all of the motherly traits that her character needed as she is someone who wants the best things for Bliss that she never had as a child. Harden even gets a chance to be funny while allowing her character to break away from her strict shell as it’s definitely one of her best performances to date. Finally, there’s Ellen Page in what is certainly a remarkable performance. While she doesn’t spew quirky lines or act in a stylized manner that she did in her breakthrough role in 2007’s Juno. It’s definitely a much more interesting performance as she plays a more realistic girl trying to find her place in the world. Page brings some humor to the role along with some drama as she makes Bliss Cavendar into a real, lively character. Even as it allows Page to play sexy in a non-conventional manner. It’s definitely one of Page’s finest performances yet.

Whip It is an extraordinary, fun debut film from Drew Barrymore that features a radiant performance from Ellen Page. Armed with a great ensemble cast that includes Marcia Gay Harden, Daniel Stern, Juliette Lewis, and Alia Shawkat. It’s the kind of film that brings laughs, real situations, and lots of roller-derby action that audiences can cheer for. It’s also the kind of film that brings a lot of girl-power that is lacking in today’s world of overly-beautiful women that not many could relate to. In the end, Whip It is a phenomenal debut film from Drew Barrymore and company.

© thevoid99 2011