But I'm a Cheerleader: A Shallow Comedy Hindered by Poor Execution (4K)

The Film:

Back in 2000, a little film called "But I'm a Cheerleader" was released from director Jamie Babbit, who wanted to tell a story that took aim at conversion therapy camps meant to "cure" homosexuality. The film didn't make much of a splash at the box office, nor was it received well by critics, who took issue with its stereotypical portrayals, among other problems. However, it has developed something of a cult following over the last 25 years, and now Lionsgate is putting it in the spotlight by giving it a 4K upgrade and throwing in a few extras for fans who have come to enjoy this under-the-radar flick, so now it's time to go back and see if it's worth a second look or if the critics were right to dismiss it during its original release.

The film follows Megan Bloomfield (Natasha Lyonne), a 17-year-old cheerleader who is currently dating football player Jared (Brandt Wille). However, she doesn't really enjoy kissing him, and actually enjoys looking at her fellow cheerleaders more. Her parents, Peter (Bud Cort) and Nancy (Mink Stole), eventually come to suspect her of being a lesbian, causing them to enroll her in a conversion therapy camp called "True Directions," run by program director Mary Brown (Cathy Moriarty). Early on, Megan discovers that she is indeed a lesbian, and comes to be very close friends with fellow camp attendee Graham Eaton (Clea DuVall). With both of them risking being disowned by their parents, will they be able to finish the incredibly strict program or will they perhaps choose another path that allows them to embrace who they truly are?

As one would naturally think, conversion therapy camps make for a very easy target given the idiocy & ineptitude of their goal of trying to change people into something they're not, and Babbit not only wanted to make a film that mocked them for it, but also one that explores gender roles in society. However, problems quickly arise in the way that she chose to do that. Instead of a deep, meaningful exploration of the subject, it's done in a rather shallow, superficial way, playing up homosexual stereotypes for laughs, and not getting very far in terms of taking a look at typical forced gender norms beyond showing them being forced upon these kids in the course of their "treatment."

There's nothing really wrong with the story at the heart of it, which tells of a young woman discovering her true sexual identity and potentially finding the person she's meant to be with, but unfortunately everything around that story is what ends up dragging it down. It was an admirable attempt to tackle the subject, and Babbit certainly had her heart in the right place as far as its touching central narrative goes, but sadly "But I'm a Cheerleader" simply turns into another case of poor execution that doesn't explore its topics very well or help boost its well-intentioned story. The critics may have been a little harsh to fully dismiss it 25 years ago, but in the end, it's sadly not that hard to see why they did.

Video/Audio:

"But I'm a Cheerleader" comes to 4K in a 2160p, Ultra High Definition transfer of excellent quality. The picture has been cleaned up very well, looking quite sharp throughout the entire 91-minute duration. Likewise, the 5.1 Dolby TrueHD audio track is fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue and music in outstanding quality. Overall, Lionsgate has done a wonderful job in both departments for the film's new upgrade.

Special Features:

Audio Commentary with Director Jamie Babbit, Costume Designer Alix Friedberg, and Production Designer Rachel Kamerman

Beyond the Pink and Blue: A Conversation with Jamie Babbit (12 Minutes) (4K Exclusive): A featurette in which the director looks back on the film.

But I'm A Cheerleader Class Reunion (21 Minutes): A reunion chat with the director & cast.

Making But I'm A Cheerleader... in 1999 (8 Minutes): A behind the scenes look at the making of the film.

But I'm A Composer... A Chat with Pat Irwin (5 Minutes): A short interview with the film's composer.

Student Film: Discharge (3 Minutes)

Conclusion:

Jamie Babbit's "But I'm a Cheerleader" is an admirable attempt to tell the touching story of a young woman discovering her true sexual identity & potentially her true mate at the same time, but sadly it ends up being greatly hindered by rather poor execution that plays up stereotypes for laughs & fails to dig into its subject very far, ultimately making for a shallow comedy that had good intentions, but was unable to achieve its goals.

Score: 2.5/5

Now available on 4K.

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