July
13
Whip It: Angry Women Make Potent Box Office
On its surface, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It looks like a Fast & Furious-style look at an exotic world we don't know much about: roller derbies. The film opens in October and stars Barrymore and Juno star Ellen Page as a rebellious, angry teen roller derby contestant.
What every studio wants is a movie with at least one guaranteed target market, plus crossover potential to two or three more quadrants. This movie got made because of its potential appeal to several niches. It's a coming-of-age teen story with some romance, but it's also an action movie with babes attached (think Charlie's Angels, Blue Crush). Some men might even show up.
Mainly, it's an angry woman movie.
And that can be a mighty demo. Hollywood is often taken aback by how well femme bonding movies can do, pictures like Nine to Five, Fatal Attraction, Thelma & Louise, First Wives Club and Waiting to Exhale. Add Diablo Cody's upcoming Jennifer's Body to the list. Not that any of us identify with Jennifer Megan Fox. That's why Amanda Seyfried is in the picture.
UPDATE: Here's the Whip It trailer:



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don't forget! other notable, memorable angry female characters: Ellen Ripley in the ALIENS franchise and Sarah Connor in Terminator 1 and 2 :-)
I'm more excited for Whip It! than I am for Jennifer's Body...
Posted by: Deaf Indian Muslim Anarchist! | July 13, 2009 at 02:52 PM
excellent additions to the angry women canon
Posted by: anne Thompson | July 13, 2009 at 03:22 PM
Jennifer Fox? You mean Megan, right?
Not too sure 'Whip It' will be very successful. There is a bit of a difference between fast cars and roller blading. Unless it gets some seriously good reviews (doubtful), it's tough to see it generating significant word-of-mouth.
Posted by: Scott | July 14, 2009 at 12:01 AM
I really have to see "Whip It," having grown up on Roller Derby! it's that mid-west thing, I guess...
Posted by: CSM | July 14, 2009 at 09:48 AM