Drew Barrymore, Ellen Page and Kristen Wiig in new 'Whip It' clips

A big preview of the roller derby comedy with a sweet side

By Gregory Ellwood Friday, Sep 18, 2009 3:20 AM

Ellen Page in "Whip It"

Credit: Fox Searchlight

One of the more charming and sweet flicks to hit theaters next month is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut "Whip It."

The film centers on Bliss (Ellen Page), a 17-year-old in Bodeen, Texas who can't seem to find her niche until she and her BFF Pash (Alia Shawkat) discover the local roller derby league in nearby Austin. Joining without her parents knowledge, Bliss becomes a superstar, falls in love and leads her new team to the championship game. Of course, she's totally racing underage, is driving her mother crazy and may be getting screwed over by her new boyfriend, but alls fair in love and roller skating, right?

Joining Page on the roller derby track are Barrymore, hip-hop star Eve, the always fantastic Kristen Wiig and "Death Proof's" Zoe Bell. Oh, and there's a great turn by Juliette Lewis as a competitive racer who aims to make sure Bliss doesn't stop her quest for a third straight championship.

One of the great things about the flick, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last weekend, is you can clearly feel Barrymore's quirky personality all over it and these four new clips are prime examples of her singular style. Check them out below and see if "Whip It" will make your must see list when it opens Oct. 2.

Gregory Ellwood
Editor-in-Chief, Co-Founder

With over a decade of experience in the movie industry, Ellwood survived working for two major studios and has written for Variety, MSN and the LA Times. A co-founder of HitFix, Ellwood spends his time relaxing hitting 3’s on the basketball court and following his beloved Clippers.