6) Whip It!
As Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, this adaptation of Shauna Cross’ novel Derby Girl – scripted by Cross herself – could not be more perfect. Essentially about the stifling effect of over-bearing parents and an over-bearing society on a developing young mind, the whole thing is geared toward breaking those weighted shackles and rolling your own way. All of which – you guessed it – inspires us to do more with our lives.
Bliss Cavender (the brilliant Ellen Page) is a directionless, teenage, social misfit, who has yet to discover her passion. Her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) is a former beauty queen who pushes Bliss into the pageant circuit – trying to recapture her own glory years through her daughter’s experience. On a shopping expedition one day, Bliss encounters three roller derby team members distributing flyers advertising an exhibition match between the Holy Rollers and the Hurl Scouts. Persuading her best friend to accompany her, the two young girls attend the game, and Bliss is hooked.
Facing disapproval from every quarter – including her best friend – Bliss works hard to qualify for the local derby team. She lies to the team about her age, and she lies to her mother about what she is doing with her time – but having found her passion, she is unwilling to let it go. Trials and tribulations ensue, as her dedication to her new-found love causes friction in every one of her relationships, until eventually, everybody has to choose – should we do what society dictates, or should we follow our passion?
Bliss discovers that she always had the answer – and so have we. We got it from roller derby team member Maggie Mayhem (Kristen Wiig) at the beginning. As Bliss looks up at her in awe and says “You’re my hero,” Maggie shrugs it off and says, “Strap some skates on. Be your own hero.” If ever there were words to live by, those are they.