Whip It - Discussion Guide

 
Buy Whip It from Amazon.co.uk or from Amazon.com

Summary

17-year-old Bliss Cavender (Ellen Page) is no ordinary beauty pageant entrant. Forced into the ordeal by her pushy mother (Marcia Gay Harden), she appears onstage with her hair dyed bright blue, to the horror of the judges. Much more Bliss's style is Roller Derby, a madcap sport played by girls with tattoos, fishnet tights and bags of attitude.

Attending the tryouts in secret, and taken on by the enthusiastic but hopeless Hurl Scout team, Bliss is transformed into star skater Babe Ruthless. Supported by her loyal best friend Pash (Alia Shawkat) and finding a surrogate family in her teammates, her confidence soon grows. But can she reconcile her new passion for the sport - and for wannabe rock star Oliver (Landon Pigg) - with her parents' expectations?

Background

Whip It is based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, who skated with a team called the Los Angeles Derby Dolls under the name Maggie Mayhem. Though asserting that she is 'a very girly girl', quite unlike the tattooed stereotype, Cross recalls the joy of creating an on-track persona and feeling at home in the team.[1]   The film is the directorial debut from Drew Barrymore, whose production company Flower Films was also responsible for Donnie Darko.

Though Whip It did surprisingly poorly at the box office, it gained a largely positive critical response. Acknowledging the film's clichéd storyline, critics nevertheless found themselves swept along by its energy, engaging performances and sheer sense of fun.

Questions for Discussion

1. Did you enjoy the film? Why or why not? Which character did you relate to the most?

2. How would you describe Bliss's character? Why does she dislike entering beauty pageants? Why do you think she is drawn to Roller Derby instead?

3. In what ways does Whip It celebrate nonconformity? Do you think that the film does this with integrity? What ideals does culture encourage you to conform to, and when is it right to resist?

4. Why do you think that Bliss's mother holds her attitudes and beliefs? Is she cast as the film's 'villain' or are we encouraged to sympathise with her?

5. 'I love when girls get to do what boys do. I love empowering women, and I love women that are capable.' - Drew Barrymore [2]    
   In what ways might Whip It be considered a feminist story? Which women in the film are shown to be 'empowered'? Do you agree or disagree with Drew Barrymore's use of the word?

6. What kind of male characters, and attitudes towards men, are displayed in the film? Does 'feminism' necessarily entail being negative towards men? Were you pleased or frustrated by the way that Bliss's relationship with Oliver was resolved?

7. 'What do you think the world thinks of those girls with their tattoos? Do you think they have an easy time finding a job? Or getting a loan application? Or going to a decent college?' - Brooke Cavender   
   What assumptions might the world make about the 'derby girls'? How does the film encourage us to look beneath the team's intimidating exteriors? In what ways can we be tempted to judge others on their appearance? 

8. Bliss's relationship with her mother is central to the film. If you are young, how can you balance respect for your parents with finding your own identity? And if you are a parent yourselves, how can you provide care and guidance without being judgemental?
   

9. Contrary to popular belief, the Bible's female heroes are an eclectic group - from ruler-warriors (Deborah) to beauty pageant winners (Esther) to loyal daughters (Ruth). What do you think characterises true femininity? What does our culture encourage women to aspire to, and how does this compare to the Bible's teaching on the subject?

10. Do you agree that it is commendable - or attainable - to 'be your own hero'? Who is your hero or role model, and what do you admire about them? What might make Jesus a good role model?

[1] Christian Toto, Interview with Shauna Cross, The Washington Times, January 2010

[2] Chris De Salvo, Interview with Drew Barrymore, The Scorecard Review, September 2009

Back