"Whip It" is being heralded by people across the country as a girl-power movie, but don't rush out to buy a movie ticket just yet. While the film does offer up some insightful moments regarding mother-daughter relationships it is not 100% the kind of movie that makes you want to get up and cheer. In fact, a couple of times it made me cringe.

"Whip It" tells the story of Bliss (played charmingly by Ellen Page of "Juno" fame) a 17 year-old girl longing for more than what the small town of Bodeen, Texas can offer her. Constantly dragged to beauty pageants by her mother Bliss is looking for a way out and a place to fit in. She finds it in roller derby.

On the one hand the film does an amazing job of honestly showing the conflict that can result between mothers and daughters who have vastly different worldviews. It shows a young girl growing into a young woman in an authentic and genuine way and you will smile as you watch Bliss' first real romantic encounter and the interactions between Bliss and her best friend which sparkle with humor and authenticity.  The journey both mother and daughter take to come to understand each other is touching without being corny.  And while the movie does lean on a few tried and true movie clichés the characters are unique and endearing enough to engage you in the story. However, where the movie had me questioning whether this was the best way to spend an evening was during the roller derby scenes.

Roller derby is an underground "sport" in which teams of skaters zoom around a rink while a member from each team tries to pass other skaters in order to earn points.  How do they stop the other team from scoring? Punches to the face, kicks, etc.  In short: uninhibited violence. 

I'm all for being serious about sports. It is inevitable that if you are playing a real game that some injuries will occur. However, a game in which tackling another player and pummeling them in the face is acceptable doesn't seem like it would lead to the kind of growth and skills our parents hoped for when they signed us up for little league.  In addition to the violent nature of the sport these all-girl teams are also highly sexualized. They skate around the rink taking hits and being tough but also objectify themselves by using derby names such as "Jabba the Slut." This does not scream athleticism.

The world of roller derby is real and it's highly probable that the film depicts this world in a real light. My problem with it, however, is that it promotes and reinforces the same old stereotypes I'm tired of seeing: that the way to be a strong, tough woman is to hike up your skirt and act like a man.  Yes these women are physically strong and are breaking the norm by getting out on the track and off the bleachers, but they show little real character and that's what I was really hoping to see. Instead of being real athletes the members of the Hurl Scouts are pin-up girls on wheels more concerned with looking good and hitting hard than excelling at a sport. Further demeaning the activity is "Hot Tub Johnny" the emcee at these events who pops in with comments that are often lewd and seldom funny, which makes me ask if the point of the sport is the girl's skills or their skirts. 

Despite my major qualms with the use of roller derby as a vehicle for Bliss to find herself, it works in the sense that it gives her a safe place to explore a different, tougher side of herself. It helps her stand up for herself and puts put her in touch with women who are living unconventionally. While most of the derby women were poorly developed caricatures of tough-as-nails chicks there was one stand-out -Maggie Mayhem.

Maggie Mayhem is a tough roller-derby chick as free-spirited as the next girl on wheels but with the added responsibility of a child. Not just a hot shot on wheels Maggie Mayhem is a three-dimensional character who serves as Bliss' encouraging guide in the world of roller derby.  She acts as the cooler, more understanding antithesis to Bliss' uptight mother. Yet it is Maggie Mayhem who calls Bliss out on being selfish and encourages her to consider her mother's point of view. The conversations between Bliss and her mother and Bliss and Maggie Mayhem are the ones that ring truest and have the most depth. The roller derby scenes may make your adrenaline pump but these quieter, sincere moments will have you cheering as Bliss and her mother learn to love each other for who they are even if they don't quite understand their differences. 

Ultimately "Whip It" is both good and bad. It accomplishes some great things but gets a bit derailed and ends up falling into a typical Hollywood trap: claiming that women in revealing costumes hitting each other is empowering. While many reviewers are heralding this movie as a "girl-power" flick I would be hesitant to take a young girl to view this.  As a movie watcher I am sick of watching women beating people up and then being told it's empowering. (Yep, I'm climbing on my soapbox) From "Charlie's Angels" to "Cat Woman," Hollywood seems to think that showing scantily clad women who can throw punches is going to satisfy my need to see strong woman characters in film. It doesn't.   "Whip It" does have strong female characters; it also has some pretty lame ones. All together it is a fun movie that shows a young girl becoming a strong, more fully realized person and if violence and overtly sexy costumes don't offend you in the least -go forth and enjoy. If you're a bit more sensitive to the reinforcing of stereotypes that harm and limit women both young and old proceed with a bit more caution and keep in mind that while this movie will make you laugh it might also make you grimace . Personally I can't make up my mind-is this movie more good than bad?  Hopefully the next "girl-power" movie to hit the screen won't have me questioning how empowering it really is.