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I picked a good year to start writing a column about women in film. More than ever before, women are gaining ground in Hollywood. We’ve got seasoned pros like Kathryn Bigelow finally getting mainstream clout. A number of high-profile projects are being made by women. And we’re also seeing a distinct rise in the do-everything femmes like Felicia Day and Diablo Cody.
But it’s not all roses. First Jennifer’s Body went from long-term big-buzz to big-time flop, and now Whip It](Whip It (2009) - Movie | Moviefone) is sadly following suit. If you caught Eugene Novikov’s Weekend Box Office, you might have noticed that while Zombieland kicks all sorts of living butt, and the 3-D Toy Story double feature grabbed spot #3, Drew Barrymore’s kick-ass roller derby pic came in a supremely disappointing 7th Place.
One could argue that Body’s questionable showing was at least partly due to the mixed reactions from critics and fans. Cody’s horror pic couldn’t even grab a half-and-half balance, nestling in at 42% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes. Some loved it, others hated it. But even with some really bad reviews, it still beat Drew. Whip It! earned almost double the critical love (82% fresh), but pulled in a whopping $2 million less than the Body in its opening weekend ($4.85 million](Whip It - Box Office Mojo)). 2 mil might not mean as much when you’re in the hundreds, but it sure as heck means a lot when you can’t even bring in 5.
What went wrong, and how can we fix it before this excellent cinematic momentum is halted?
Continue reading Girls On Film: 'Whip It’s Undeserved Box Office Bust