I've always had a morbid fascination with Roller Derby. It's one of those trashy sports, like greyhound racing or monster truck racing, that you either never admit to loving, or wouldn't admit to knowing enough about to hate.
This movie, the first directed by the otherwise bottom-of-my-list Drew Barrymore, boasts an excellent cast, with Ellen Page playing Bliss Cavendar during the day, and Babe Ruthless at night.
The skaters' names are wonderful: Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis), Smashley Simpson (Barrymore), Bloody Holly (Zoe Bell), Rosa Sparks (Eve), and Jimmy Fallon goes OTT as announcer "Hot Tub" Johnny Rocket.
The action is rough and ready, and the story, while basically a young girl's coming-of-age while trying to balance her mother's love of schoolgirl pageants with her own love of roller derby (well, it could happen), is a lot more fun than it could've been.
It's too late to catch this at the theater, so look out for it on Netflix.
OK, so just because I've admitted to liking Roller Derby, doesn't mean I'll admit to liking Drew Barrymore.
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