Audiences are Whipped

By Chase Kahn

Drew Barrymore's Whip It (Fox Searchlight, 10.02.09) debuted to very positive reactions in Toronto today. Screen Daily's Tim Grierson, Variety's Rob Nelson, Hollywood Reporter's Peter Brunette, The Wrap's Eric Kohn and Roger Ebert have all been 'whipped' into a frenzy by the roller-derby comedy/drama of female empowerment.

Of course, it's actress Drew Barrymore's directorial debut and stars Ellen Page as the coming-of-age protaganist who finds solace in enlisting on a local roller-derby team. No one is banging the drum that this is by any means a traditionally "great" film, but no one seems unenthused after exiting. I haven't heard a bad thing about it.