Here's a pair of films I recently caught about varying forms of female empowerment.
Whip It: I don't know what was the deal with this film but it took forever for this to arrive from Netflix. I swear they only had one copy of this film for the entire country. And of course, it wasn't worth the wait. Directed by Drew Barrymore, this film about a female roller derby offers no surprises. It hits all of the typical sports cliches, which at times are enjoyable but also nothing new. The film sports a decent cast, which made the film a draw in the first place, but Barrymore lacks skill as a director. The same immature, carefree attitude that she embraces in life is represented here in her work. The one nice thing about this film is seeing Daniel Stern working again - where the hell has he been for the past decade? If you enjoy sports movies, there's enough here to make this a pleasant outing. Rating: ***
The Brave One: This 2008 Jodie Foster thriller misses its mark. It's meant to show a woman's ability to bounce back from a mugging that ended up costing her fiancee's life. As it turns out, this plays more like a female version of Dirty Harry. While seeing thugs getting their comeuppance can be fun, the way it's down here is both ludicrous and too gritty. Foster's acting, as always is solid, but she is let down by the material. I also liked Terrance Howard as a cop who befriends her. If they had been given better subject material, this might have been worth your time, but sadly you should skip this one. Rating: **
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