Actress Drew Barrymore moves behind the camera to make her feature film directing debut with Whip It, a zesty, coming-of-age story set in the feverish push-shove world of roller derby. A sport that filled Saturday TV screens across America in the late 1950s and 60s, roller derby had a resurgence in 2000 and is the perfect setting for a film full of heart, fun and some very good acting.

Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) has grown up in a home right out of Good Housekeeping. Her mother Brooke (Marcia Gay Harden), who works overtime to keep harmony in the house, tries to be a perfect wife, cook, homemaker, postal worker and mother. She knows what’s important in life -- becoming a beauty queen -- because she’s been there.

Brooke drags Bliss from one pageant to another. She does this while keeping her eye on her own trophy and dusting off a spot for the one she hopes Bliss will win. What Brooke doesn’t understand is that her idea of harmony results in Bliss and her dad (Daniel Stern) sneaking behind her back to do things she would be flabbergasted to find out about. Bliss’ little sister Shania (Eulala Scheel) may be too young to fight for her own dream, but dad Earl sneaks away and hides in his van to drink beer and watch football.

Bliss confesses to Pash (Alia Shawkat), her best friend and diner co-worker, that while she doesn’t want to follow in her mom’s footsteps, it would break her heart if she told her. When planning a night out, Bliss suggest the girls go to Austin, where they end up at a roller derby event. Bliss is fascinated by the sport and also becomes infatuated with Oliver (Landon Pigg), a band member she meets there.

A confrontation with one of the skaters and the excitement of being on her own sets Bliss on a new journey. She signs up to be a skater even though she’s under age, begins a new romance with Oliver, and draws away from Pash -- all of which means dangerous curves ahead for the once overly-obedient daughter.

Whip It is delightful on several levels. It’s exciting to watch roller derby, and seeing major movie stars Ellen Page and Juliette Lewis -- both actually trained in the sport -- battle it out on the track pumps up your adrenaline. Page plays her character to the hilt, mixing just the right amount of apprehensiveness, wry humor and logic she used to portray her Academy Award-nominated role in Juno. Lewis makes easy work of her character Iron Maven, Bliss’ nemesis. She physically pounds on Bliss around the track and also hits all of the young girl’s vulnerable emotional spots about her life changes.

Stern and Harden are quite believable as Bliss’ yin and yang parents. Shawkat (Arrested Development) makes her character rise above the page, and newcomer Pigg shows the promise of a career that’s sure to bloom.

The Whip It screenplay by Shauna Cross (she also has a novel of by the same name) is terrific. I found Barrymore’s direction served the picture well and certainly holds up to her vision. “This film is really personal and important to me because it’s about a girl finding out who she is, going after what she believes in and bringing out the best in herself. It’s set against the world of roller derby, which is about grit and toughness, but there’s also this great wink and celebration and fun to it. It’s feminine on its own terms, it’s about power without anger and it’s exhibitionism that entertains. It’s a world where you get to be your own hero and find your own tribe.”

However, I don’t think Barrymore should have acted in this film as well. Perhaps she needed to play a role here in order to get financing, but when she’s on screen it feels like she’s there because she has to be. For me, that put a kink in the flow of the story every time she came on screen. Still, I enjoyed Whip It. It contains some great growing-up lessons, and I recommend it for anyone over the age of 13.

(Released by Fox Searchlight and rated “PG-13” for sexual situations and foul language.)

Review also posted at www.reviewexpress.com.