High Heels on Wheels

What I liked

Rachael McLachlan’s performance for Doris was fantastic and I loved the chemistry between she and Giana who played Sally. Atticus’s performance as Stu really made me want to hate him. I really appreciated the character arch of mom from a script perspective, and Elizabeth’s portrayal was spot on.

What I didn't like

I wanted Betty to be more of a villain, her character read for me as trying to be likeable rather than an obstacle for Doris to overcome. I was also surprised and confused by Betty standing up for Doris when she takes the fall for the contraceptive contraband. It seems like it should have been the other derby girls pushing Betty to stand up for Doris.

I was also confused by the wardrobe choice of Betty having socks hanging off her waistband. This read more like flag football and was inconsistent with the uniforms for the rest of the team. It was also not clear how and which of the girls were actually handing out the contraceptives and pamphlets.

My overall impression

This was a very compelling lesbian coming of age story, set in the 1950s, but addressing issues that are still relevant today. The story was coherent with great music and standout performances by Rachael McLachlan as Doris, Elizabeth A. (Bouton) Summerer as Mom, Giana Bommarito as Sally and Atticus Hinkley as Stu.