Drew Barrymore is not like her ancestors. They were serious actors, artists dedicated to their craft. Drew seems to be happy once she’s having a good time, something that is most definitely happening in her directorial debut, Whip It.

There is nothing serious about Whip It, it’s as quirky and kitsch as you’d expect from Barrymore, full of strong women who are trying to find their way through life; no heroes, no villains, just normal people.

I hate to use this phrase but Whip It is a ‘coming of age’ story, starring the excellent Ellen Page as Bliss. Bliss is a nerdy girl who is out of touch with the cool kids in her small-town Texas home, but she doesn’t care once she has her equally geekie best mate Pash, played by Alia Shawkat.

At home, things aren’t going too well as Bliss’ mother, the gorgeous Marcia Gay Harden, is trying to relive her beauty pageant-winning youth through Bliss, who isn’t exactly beauty pageant material. One day, while out shopping, Bliss comes across a gang of girls who all look like Kat Von D on roller skates. She immediately thinks “that’s me”, finally finding the thing that fits.

Bliss knows that loving but conservative parents would freak if they found out, so she secretlyjoins the roller-derby and starts to lead a double life. The women, who ooze grrrl power, are all older than her and have been around the block but are open and warm, welcoming her into their circle without a thought. These women have always been losers, delighted to come second in the derby even if there are only two teams competing. Whip It comes to life when Ellen and the girls don the skates. That the actors learned how to stake makes a huge difference – the action scenes are right in their faces and you feel every bruise.

It’s refreshing to see something as uncool as roller-skating front and centre, as well as girls giving it all they’ve got instead of the usual men and football films. Plus the acting is spot on, Page is as cute as anything and looks exactly like the girl next door, Barrymore is having a ball and Juliet Lewis chews the scenery as the closest thing to a baddie Whip It has.

This isn’t going to be for everyone and yes cliches abound, but it’s great fun and recommended for a girls’ night out.

Whip It! is showing as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival on February 24th at 8.40 in Cineworld. Get your tickets here

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