Whip It

Director: Drew Barrymore (2009)

Cast: Ellen Page, Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon, Marcia Gay Harden

Whip It is based off the book Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, who was actually a screenwriter who wrote the book based off her own experiences as a roller derby girl... which she quickly parlayed into a movie deal where she wrote the screenplay.

Actress Ellen Page, who would soon change his gender and name to Elliot, and stars as Bliss Cavender, a teen age girl who defies her mother’s wishes to be a beauty pageant queen in her small Texas town. Instead, she falls in love with the local roller female team and is invited to be on the team.

She has a group of friends and teammates, who are looking out for her, and she flourishes playing the game. Unfortunately, Bliss still must confront her family, especially her mom, who cannot fathom. what her daughter is doing and how it’s going to ruin everyone’s lives. But, in the end, Bliss’s love of the game and her new friends won out. Roger Ebert described the picture as having "guts, charm, and a black-and-blue sweetness. Barrymore was also smart enough to cast Jimmy Fallon in the film.

Fun Fact: Jimmy Fallon’s Wife Nancy Juvonen is Barrymore’s producing partner. The best news of all, the film turned a profit at the box office and video and Video rentals.