Whip It

Ellen Page plays a girl from a small Texas town who is very unhappy. I know many of you remember your teenage years when you had not clue who you were, you were sad most the time, your mom drove you nuts, etc. Well this is what Page is going through in this movie. Her mother, played by Marcia Gay Harden, wants her to participate in pageants and be a good girl. Page plays her character beautifully she is a smart girl who gives her mom good grades and gets in little trouble. She then discovers Roller Derby and sneaks to Austin to play. She discovers her passion. This story shows a mother her child can be wonderful with out following her "drawn out path" and well the teenager was able to step out on her own and discover who she was. OK now that I have said all that here is the point. I hope I am not a mother who forces activities down my child's throat. Yes, I want my children to be awesome, respectful, good...BUT I want them to be them. There will be times I will say no. Morals always come into play and we are a Christian family but we don't need to tie them up and shelter them so much that all they want is what they can't have. I don't know if I am making any sense I am not sure anyone will read this will even get it but I know so many girls and guys that were sheltered so terribly when they were kids that they stepped out on their own and had no clue what to do, or they got pregnant immediately or went off the deep end. I guess what I am trying to say is give a little and take a little. It is ok if your teenager wants to have a purple streak in their hair! WOW, I just re-read this and it isn't worded eloquently and for that I apologize. But here's is the kicker I licked the movie and I guess that is all I really needed to say.