Roller skates have been popular for many, many years, and as a result – they’ve been featured in a lot of movies.
If your child is into roller skating, you may be interested in finding some roller skating movies to get them more inclined to take up the short or at least give it a try!
We’ve looked around and found some of the best roller skate movies you can watch. So, if you’ve got some time on your hands – why not take a seat and watch one of these with your kids if you can!
Roller Boogie (1979)
If you want a movie packed with different stunts and roller skating tricks, then Roller Boogie is the movie to sit down with your kids and watch.
It’s cast with professional roller skaters, which really gets the desire to learn more about the hobby going strong.
The plot is highly inspirational. It has a teenage girl named Terry who attends Julliard – a prestigious school of art and music – and her parents who try to encourage her to become a flautist.
What her parents are unaware of, though is that she hates playing the flute. Whilst she struggles with this, she meets a boy called Bobby.
Bobby is a talented roller skater; in fact he’s so good that he strives to get into the Olympics.
Over time, she becomes fond of Bobby and asks him for roller skate and dance training, believing she can have a shot in the roller boogie contest.
The plot advances when corrupt developers want to get rid of the rink and the two teenagers must do something about it!
It’s a top-quality movie that inspires young people to take up roller skating and shows them the importance of being yourself.
Watch Roller Boogie on Amazon Prime
Rollerball (1975 And 2002)
Anybody who has a love of roller skating will tell you that Rollerball is perhaps the best movie out there that has roller skating in it.
It’s an iconic movie based in the future where the world’s problems have been sorted out but in exchange for freedom.
The government has been replaced by huge corporations and these big mogul tycoons create a new entertainment for the world called Rollerball.
The age recommended to watch this movie is PG-13, so it’s not the best for younger kids due to some violence – but its plot is incredible and anybody who ever saw the original ‘70s version will have fond memories of roller skating after watching it!
Rent the 1975 Original Amazon Prime | Watch the 2022 remake on Amazon Prime
Whip It (2009)
A more modern movie which will likely appeal to your kids is Whip It, produced by Drew Barrymore and starring Ellen Page.
The plot is actually based on a novel by Shauna Cross called Derby Girl. It has a similar plot to Roller Boogie in that the protagonist’s parents try to get her to do something she does not want to do.
In this instance, Bliss (our protagonist) lives with her mother, who tries to push her to follow in her footsteps of being a beauty Queen.
Over the course of the movie, she discovers roller skating and falls in love with it.
After trying out for some teams, she eventually gets picked – but keeps this her newfound hobby a complete secret from her mother.
She lives almost a double life, trying to keep her mother happy by continuing with beauty and conformity and roller skating.
When a beauty pageant and a competition clash on the same day, she must make her choice… what will she choose?
This movie once again gets the thrill of roller skating beaming through kids of all ages and also teaches them an important lesson – be what you want to be, regardless of what someone else wants you to be.
Watch Whip It now on Amazon Prime
Roll Bounce (2005)
Roll Bounce is a feel-good comedy movie with huge inspirational overtones. It depicts the story of a 16-year-old boy, Xavier “X” Smith, who lived in Chicago in the later 1970s.
Him and his close friends share a burning passion for roller skating and used to spend their spare time in their local skate rink Palisade Garden.
When that closes down, though, they are forced to start using one uptown.
This rink called Sweetwater is frequented by mean but highly talented skaters who disrespect Xavier and his friends at every turn.
As winners of the roller disco for the last 5 years running, they speak with arrogance and somewhat aggression – much to the dislike of Xavier and his buddies.
The friends decide to enter the next competition to try to take this group down a peg – but in the meantime, the plot thickens.
Xavier’s home life gets incredibly difficult. His relationship with his on-and-off girlfriend begins to deteriorate, and then it gets even worse.
His mother passes away, and his father struggles to balance being a father, grieving and making ends meet. During his grieving, he lashes out at Xavier, saying that roller skating is a waste of time.
Xavier is frustrated but also still devastated at the loss of his mother. As time progresses, he opens a package addressed to his father – a new pair of roller skates for Xavier.
His current skates were a gift from his late mother, but they have begun to break down due to use.
His father apologizes for his previous actions and supports Xavier in the upcoming skating competition.
Xavier and his friends are inspired by what they have gone through and now must defeat these mean “high rollers”.
Hugely inspirational movie that tells you that you can make it even in times of difficulty – and the quality of skating from people so young will get your kids wanting to put their skates on right away!
Watch Roll Bounce on Amazon Prime here
The Bottom Line
Sometimes you want to inspire your kids to fulfil their interests; one way is to do it through great movies! Try some of these when you’ve got some spare time together.
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