First I have to tell all mothers to see this movie with your teenage daughter.  For the mom's pay close attention to Marcia Gay Harden's character "Brooke Cavendar", and think, " Am I smothering my daughter"?  Girls, you need to see this and realize that mom really wants the best for you but sometimes just doesn't get you.  As you watch this think are there better ways to handle our relationship ?  My hat's off to all the mothers and daughters that already have a relationship that is fully functional and healthy.

In the movie Whip It, Drew Barrymore not only empowers young women, makes them fearless, alluring, fun loving, caring, carefree and most of all makes them dreamers. Life outside of a small town in Texas is possible. College is possible, even Roller Derby is possible.  She even finds ways for "Bliss" played superbly by the young star of "Juno" Ellen Page, to reconcile with her mother, and father, and best friend and does it in a way that is entertaining and fun. 

Bliss Cavendar is a senior in High School, has been pushed by her mother into competitive beauty pageants that seem to want to stereo type a southern woman.  She is a tom boy of sorts, has a best friend that later we find out is a brilliant college bound woman, likes combat boots, not fluffy dresses and a barbie doll look.  She is coming of age where boys are more than a curiosity and this gets explored with a relationship of a young rock band musician. 

One day while shopping with mom, 3 women come zooming into a store on skates with a flier about a roller derby contest at an old warehouse.  One look at Bliss's face, and you know there is something tugging at her.  She sees the companionship, camaraderie, and something alluring to the sport.  After sneaking off to Austin to watch one night she determines to try out for the team.  

With names like "Maggie Mayhem" ( Kristen Wiig), "Smashley Simpson" ( Drew Barrymore), "Iron Maven" (Juliette Lewis), "Bloody Holly" (Zoe Bell), "Eva Destruction" (Ari Graynor) to name a few of this ensemble cast,  Screen Writer Shauna Cross, adapting her own book "Whip it" could have given these women mean and or manacing personalities to go with the stage names.  Instead we find they are regular people, one is a daytime mother, another a whole foods clerk, Bliss works in a BBQ House when not going to school. 

So she lies about her age and claims to be 22 when she is 17, sneaks to practice and the games, has an affair with a young rock musician, and then it all crashes down including her best friend getting busted for an open container and being under age.  With a championship game coming a rivalry with " Iron Maven" could have gotten out of hand.  Instead all of this issues and her life need to be wrapped up, re-vamped and resolved.  The relationship with her parents, best friend, boy friend and team mates. 

What makes the movie stand out, is it is a movie about dreams and dreams coming true.  Empowering women but not in the harshest sense of female dominance or anger.  Instead with light comedy,  actually believable tenderness, love, and caring.  It is just the sort of movie the country needs in these times.