Synopsis:
Aspiring roller derby players in Ohio dream about the big time.

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

• Documentary
• Sports

Review:
This disappointing documentary about the roller derby scene of the early 1970s offers little hope about the state of humanity. Granted, that shouldn’t necessarily be the prerogative of a sports documentary, which arguably should focus on: 1) what the sport entails, and 2) why people choose it.

In this case, however, while the action is plenty raw — these roller derby athletes play fast, rough, and theatrically — the aspiring athletes interviewed here (along with their wives and girlfriends) are such an uninteresting bunch that it’s hard to care whatsoever about their travails or their outcomes.

The biggest “star” of the show is Roller Derby Hall of Fame inductee Charlie O’Connell, shown here enjoying retirement by his poolside home in California.

Unfortunately, he’s utterly lacking in charisma or meaningful insights. The trailer for a later documentary called This is Roller Derby (2007) — which I haven’t yet seen, but plan to check out — offered me a lot more info in just three minutes.

Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:

• Occasional snippets of drama on the skating track
  

Must See?
No; skip this one.

Links:

• IMDb entry
• NY Times Original Review
• Time Out Capsule Review