Whip It

What it's about:

Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with this feisty, female-friendly action-comedy. Ellen Page (Juno) stars as Bliss Cavendar, a young woman who longs to break free of her small-town bonds by joining the rough-and-tumble sport of roller derby in nearby Austin, Texas.

What the critics thought:

"For the most part, the 34-year-old Barrymore, with much of her life spent in front of the camera and more than a few impressive producing credits already in the bank, proves steady on her feet, able to handle curves and straightaways with equal grace."
-  Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

"It succeeds because of the emotional rather than comic payoffs, such as a late scene between Page and Harden, where daughter and mother, after a rough patch, hit on an unexpectedly serious subject."
-  Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

"Even if a tale of female empowerment through roller derby is not your particular cup of tea, Barrymore delivers it with such a giddy good sense of fun that it's easy enough to go along with."
-  Mary F. Pols, TIME Magazine

"It will not change the way you think about movies, roller derby or the relations between teenage girls and their mothers, friends or dreams. But it does invite you to stop and appreciate all those things."
-  A.O. Scott, New York Times