But I'm a Cheerleader

Infobox Film
name = But I'm a Cheerleader


caption = Original movie poster
director = Jamie Babbit
producer = Leanna Creel
Andrea Sperling
writer = Jamie Babbit (story)
Brian Wayne Peterson (screenplay)
starring = Natasha Lyonne
Cathy Moriarty
RuPaul
Clea DuVall
music = Pat Irwin
cinematography = Jules Labarthe
editing = Cecily Rhett
distributor = Lions Gate Films
released = September 12, 1999
(Toronto Film Festival)
July 7, 2000 (United States)
November 16, 2000 (Australia)
April 13, 2001 (UK)
runtime = 85 min.
country = United States
language = English
budget = US$1,000,000
gross = US$2,595,216 (worldwide)
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id = 1:181371
imdb_id = 0179116

"But I'm a Cheerleader" is a 1999 satirical romantic comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit and written by Brian Wayne Peterson. Natasha Lyonne stars as Megan Bloomfield, an apparently happily heterosexual high school cheerleader. However, her friends and family are convinced that she is a homosexual and arrange an intervention, sending her to a residential inpatient reparative therapy camp to cure her lesbianism. At camp, Megan soon realizes that she is indeed a lesbian and, despite the therapy, gradually comes to embrace this fact. The supporting cast features Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty, RuPaul, Mink Stole and Bud Cort.

"But I'm a Cheerleader" was Babbit's first feature film. It was inspired by an article about conversion therapy and her childhood familiarity with rehabilitation programs. She used the story of a young woman finding her sexual identity to explore the social construction of gender roles and heteronormativity. The costume and set design of the film highlighted these themes using artificial textures in intense blues and pinks.

When it was initially rated as NC-17 by the MPAA, Babbit made cuts to allow it to be re-rated as R. When interviewed in the documentary film "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" Babbit criticized the MPAA for discriminating against films with homosexual content. The film was not well received by critics who compared it unfavorably to the films of John Waters and criticized the colorful production design. The lead actors were praised for their performances but some of the characters were described as stereotypical.

Plot

The film introduces seventeen-year-old Megan (Lyonne), a high school senior who loves cheerleading and is going steady with football player boyfriend Jared. She does not enjoy kissing her boyfriend, and prefers looking at her fellow cheerleaders. Her family and friends suspect that Megan is in fact a lesbian, and with the help of ex-gay Mike (RuPaul), surprise her with an intervention. Following this confrontation, Megan is sent to True Directions, a reparative therapy camp which uses a five-step program (similar to Alcoholics Anonymous' Twelve-step program) to convert its campers to heterosexuality.

At True Directions, Megan meets the founder, Mary Brown (Moriarty), Mary's son Rock and the group of young people trying to "cure" themselves of their homosexuality. With the prompting of Mary and the other campers, Megan agrees that she is a lesbian. This fact, at odds with her religious upbringing, distresses her and she puts every effort into becoming straight. Early on in her stay at True Directions, Megan discovers two of the boys, Dolph and Clayton, making out. She panics and screams, leading to their discovery by Mike. Dolph is made to leave and Clayton is punished by being forced into isolation.

The True Directions program involves the campers admitting their homosexuality, rediscovering their gender identity by performing stereotypically gender-associated tasks, finding the root of their homosexuality, demystifying the opposite sex and simulating heterosexual sex. Over the course of the program, Megan becomes friends with another girl at the camp, college student Graham (DuVall). The group is encouraged to rebel against Mary by two of her former students. The ex-ex-gays Larry and Lloyd take the campers to a local gay bar where Graham and Megan's relationship develops into a romance. When Mary discovers the outing, she makes them all picket Larry and Lloyd's house, carrying placards and shouting homophobic abuse.

Megan and Graham sneak away one night to have sex. When Mary finds out, Megan, now at ease with her sexual identity, is unrepentant. She is made to leave True Directions and goes to stay with Larry and Lloyd. Graham, afraid to defy her father, remains at the camp. Megan and Dolph, who is also living with Larry and Lloyd, plan to win back Graham and Clayton. They go to the True Directions graduation ceremony where Megan performs a cheer for Graham and tells her that she loves her. They drive off with Dolph and Clayton. The final scene of the film shows Megan's parents (Stole and Cort) attending a PFLAG meeting to come to terms with their daughter's homosexuality.

Cast and characters

* Natasha Lyonne as Megan Bloomfield. When confronted with evidence of her homosexuality at True Directions, Megan counters "I get good grades, I go to church, I'm a cheerleader".cite video
people =Babbit, Jamie (director)
title =But I'm a Cheerleader
medium =Motion picture (DVD)
publisher =Lions Gate Films
location =Santa Monica, California
year =1999 ]
* Clea DuVall as Graham Eaton, a college student and the daughter of wealthy parents who threaten to disown her if she does not change her sexual orientation. Graham is comfortable with her own sexuality but afraid of living openly as a lesbian.
* Cathy Moriarty as Mary J. Brown, the founder of True Directions. Although it is not mentioned in the film, Babbit's back-story for Mary was that her husband is a homosexual who ran off to San Francisco. As a result it is her life's mission to help young gay people to turn straight. Moriarty describes her character as "Sandra Dee on crack".
* RuPaul as Mike, ex-gay and Mary's right-hand man. Mike tries to teach the boys at True Directions to become more masculine, while wearing a t-shirt that proclaims "Straight is great!".
* Mink Stole as Nancy Bloomfield, Megan's mother. Megan's parents are Christians who want Megan to follow the role in life that they believe God has set for her.
* Bud Cort as Peter Bloomfield, Megan's father.
* Melanie Lynskey as Hilary Vandermuller who adheres closely to the rules of True Directions and graduates.
* Joel Michaely as Joel Goldberg a young Jewish man who desperately wants to be straight and eventually graduates from True Directions.
* Kip Pardue as Clayton Dunn, a quiet young man who works in retail.
* Katharine Towne as Sinead Laren, a goth girl who says she likes pain. Sinead is attracted to Graham and is later jealous of Graham's relationship with Megan. Despite this, Sinead graduates from True Directions.
* Douglas Spain as Andre, who describes himself as "actor, dancer, homosexual". He fails to convince Mary of his heterosexuality and is asked to leave True Directions before graduation.
* Eddie Cibrian as Rock Brown, Mary's camp and passive son. Rock works as a handy man at True Directions and although supposedly straight appears to lust after Mike. [Nikki Sullivan goes as far as calling Rock overtly homosexual and says that Mary's desire to cure her son of homosexuality is the inspiration for the True Directions program. cite book
last =Sullivan
first =Nikki
title =A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory
publisher =Edinburgh University Press
year =2003
location =Edinburgh
pages =55
isbn =0748615970 ]
* Dante Basco as Dolph, a varsity wrestler who begins a relationship with Clayton. Dolph is then kicked out of True Directions and goes to live with Larry and Lloyd Morgan-Gordon.
* Katrina Phillips as Jan, a softball player who has been sent to True Directions due to her butch appearance. Jan eventually comes to realize that she is straight and leaves True Directions.
* Richard Moll as Larry Morgan-Gordon, ex-ex-gay and one of Mary's former students who runs what Megan calls the "underground homo railroad" with his partner Lloyd. They try to give True Directions campers an alternative view point on homosexuality with trips to the local gay bar. Babbit based the characters of Larry and Lloyd on ex-ex-gays Michael Bussee and Gary Cooper formerly of Exodus International.
* Julie Delpy as lipstick lesbian who Megan meets and dances with at a gay bar.
* Wesley Mann as Lloyd Morgan-Gordon, ex-ex-gay and partner of Larry.
* Brandt Wille as Jared, Megan's football-playing boyfriend.
* Michelle Williams as Kimberly, head cheerleader and Megan's schoolfriend. Kimberly suspects Megan of being a lesbian and participates in her intervention.
* Ione Skye as Kelly, reformed lesbian in True Directions promotional video.

Background and production

"But I'm a Cheerleader" was Babbit's first feature film.cite web
last =Warn
first =Sarah
authorlink =Sarah Warn
title =Interview with Jamie Babbit
publisher =AfterEllen.com
month =June | year =2004
url =http://www.afterellen.com/archive/ellen/People/interviews/62004/jamiebabbit.html
accessdate =2007-04-22 ] She had previously directed two short films, "Frog Crossing" (1996) and "Sleeping Beauties" (1999), both of which were shown at the Sundance Film Festival. She went on to direct the 2005 thriller "The Quiet" and the 2007 comedy "Itty Bitty Titty Committee". Babbit and Sperling (as producer) secured financing from Michael Burns, then the vice president of Prudential Insurance (now Vice Chairman of Lions Gate Entertainment) after showing him the script at Sundance. According to Babbit, their one-sentence pitch was "Two high-school girls fall in love at a reparative therapy camp".Citation
last =Gideonse
first =Ted
title =The New Girls Of Summer
newspaper =Out
pages =56
date = July 2000
url = ] Burns gave them an initial budget of US$500,000 which was increased to US$1 million when the film went into production.

Conception

Babbit, whose mother runs a halfway house called New Directions for young people with drug and alcohol problems, had wanted to make a comedy about rehabilitation and the 12-step program. After reading an article about a man who had returned from a reparative therapy camp hating himself, she decided to combine the two ideas.Citation
last =Stukin
first =Stacie
title =But she's serious
newspaper =The Advocate
year =2000
date =2000-07-04
accessdate =2007-05-20
url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2000_July_4/ai_63059697 ] cite book
last =Dixon
first =Wheeler Winston
authorlink =Wheeler Winston Dixon
coauthors =Gerald Duchovnay (Ed.)
title =Film Voices: Interviews from Post Script
publisher =State University of New York Press, Albany
year =2004
pages =pp. 153-165
isbn = 0-7914-6156-4 ] With girlfriend Andrea Sperling, she came up with the idea for a feature film about a cheerleader who attends a reparative therapy camp.cite web
last =Fuchs
first =Cynthia
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =So Many Battles to Fight - Interview with Jamie Babbit
publisher =Nitrate Online
date =2000-07-21
url =http://www.nitrateonline.com/2000/fcheerleader.html
accessdate =2007-04-22 ] They wanted the main character to be a cheerleader because it is "...the pinnacle of the American dream, and the American dream of femininity".cite web
last =Grady
first =Pam
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Rah Rah Rah: Director Jamie Babbit and Company Root for But I'm a Cheerleader
publisher =Reel.com
date =
url =http://www.reel.com/reel.asp?node=features/interviews/cheerleader
accessdate =2007-04-24 ] Babbit wanted the film to represent the lesbian experience from the femme perspective to contrast with several films of the time that represented the butch perspective (for example, "Go Fish" and "The Watermelon Woman"). She also wanted to satirize both the religious right and the gay community.Not feeling qualified to write the script herself, Babbit brought in screenwriter and recent graduate of USC School of Cinematic Arts Brian Wayne Peterson. Peterson had experience with reparative therapy while working at a prison clinic for sex offenders. He has said that he wanted to make a film that would not only entertain people, but also make people get angry and talk about the issues it raised.

et and costume design

Babbit says that her influences for the look and feel of the film included John Waters, David LaChapelle, "Edward Scissorhands" and Barbie.She wanted the production and costume design to reflect the themes of the story. There is a progression from the organic world of Megan's hometown, where the dominant colors are orange and brown, to the fake world of True Directions, dominated by intense blues and pinks (which are intended to show the artificiality of gender construction). According to Babbit, the germaphobic character of Mary Brown represents AIDS paranoia and her clean, ordered world is filled with plastic flowers, fake sky and PVC outfits. The external shots of the colorful house complete with a bright pink picket fence were filmed in Palmdale, California.

Casting

Babbit recruited Clea DuVall, who had starred in her short film "Sleeping Beauties" to play the role of Graham Eaton. Babbit says that she was able to get a lot of the cast through DuVall including Natasha Lyonne and Melanie Lynskey. Lyonne first saw the script in the back of DuVall's car and subsequently contacted her agent about it. She had seen and enjoyed Babbit's short "Sleeping Beauties" and was eager to work with the director.cite web
last =Judd
first =Daniel
title =Interviews - Jamie Babbit
publisher =RainbowNetwork.com
date =2000-10-04
url =http://www.rainbownetwork.com/Film/detail.asp?iData=9110&iChannel=14&nChannel=Film
accessdate =2007-08-13 ] She was not the first choice for the role of Megan. An unnamed actress wanted to play the part but eventually turned it down because she was too Christian and did not want her family to see her face on the poster. Babbit briefly considered Rosario Dawson as Megan but her executive producer persuaded her that Dawson, who is Hispanic, would not be right for the All-American character.

Babbit made a conscious effort to cast people of color for minor roles, in an effort to combat what she describes as "racism at every level of making movies". From the beginning she intended the characters of Mike (played by RuPaul), Dolph (Dante Basco) and Andre (Douglas Spain) to be African American, Asian and Hispanic, respectively. She initially considered Arsenio Hall for the character of Mike but says that Hall was uncomfortable about playing a gay-themed role. As Mike, RuPaul makes a rare film appearance out of drag. [cite web
last =Fine
first =Marshall
title =Ladies' Man: An Interview with Superdiva RuPaul
publisher =DrDrew.com
url =http://www.drdrew.com/DrewLive/article.asp?id=908
accessdate =2007-10-07 ]

Themes

"But I'm a Cheerleader" is not only about sexuality, but also gender and the social construction of gender roles.cite book
last =Sullivan
first =Nikki
title =A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory
publisher =Edinburgh University Press
year =2003
location =Edinburgh
pages =52-56
isbn =0748615970 ] One of the ways in which Babbit highlighted what she called the artificiality of gender construction was by using intense blues and pinks in her production and costume design. Chris Holmlund in "Contemporary American Independent Film" notes this feature of the film and calls the costumes "gender-tuned".cite book
last =Holmlund
first =Chris
title =Contemporary American Independent Film: From The Margins To The Mainstream
publisher =Routledge
year =2004
pages =183-187
isbn =0415254868 ] Ted Gideonse in "Out" magazine wrote that the costumes and colors of the film show how false the goals of True Directions are.

Gender roles are further reinforced by the tasks the campers have to perform in "Step 2: Rediscovering Your Gender Identity". Nikki Sullivan in "A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory" says that this rediscovery is shown to be difficult and unsuccessful rather than the natural discovery of their latent heterosexuality. Sullivan says that the film not only highlights the ways in which gender and sexuality are constructed but also takes the norms and truths about heteronormative society and renders them strange or "queer". Holmlund says that Babbit makes the straight characters less normal and less likable than the gay ones. Sullivan says that this challenge of heteronormativity makes "But I'm a Cheerleader" an exemplification of queer theory.

Rating and distribution

Infobox movie certificates
Australia = M
Germany = 12
United_Kingdom = 15
United_States = R
Ireland = 18When originally submitted to the Motion Picture Association of America rating board, "But I'm a Cheerleader" received an NC-17 rating. In order to get a commercially-viable R rating, Babbit removed a two second shot of Graham's hand sweeping Megan's clothed body, a camera pan up Megan's body when she is masturbating, and a comment that Megan "ate Graham out" (slang for cunnilingus). [Citation
last =Taubin
first =A.
title =Erasure Police
newspaper =The Village Voice
pages =57
date =1999-08-03 ] Babbit was interviewed by Kirby Dick for his 2006 documentary film "This Film Is Not Yet Rated".cite video
people = Dick, Kirby (director)
year = 2006 | title = This Film Is Not Yet Rated
url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493459/
medium = Motion picture (DVD)
publisher = IFC Films
location = New York, NY
accessdate = 2007-06-16
quote = ] A critique of the MPAA's rating system, it suggests that films with homosexual content are treated more stringently than those with only heterosexual content, and that scenes of female sexuality draw harsher criticism from the board than those of male sexuality.cite web
last =Carlson
first =Daniel
title =Muscles and Boobies and Wieners, Oh No
work =Pajiba.com
year =2006
url =http://www.pajiba.com/this-film-is-not-yet-rated.htm
accessdate = 2007-06-02 ] "American Pie" (also released in 1999), which features a teenage boy masturbating, was given an R rating. Babbit says that she felt discriminated against for making a gay film.cite web
title ='This Film is Not Yet Rated' Explores Anti-Gay Bias of MPAA Ratings System
work =GayWired.com
publisher =
date =2006-09-01
url =http://www.gaywired.com/article.cfm?section=9&id=10452
accessdate = 2007-06-02 ] The film was rated as M (for mature audiences) in Australia, 14A in Canada, 12 in Germany and 15 in the United Kingdom.

The film premiered on September 12, 1999 at the Toronto Film Festival and was shown in January 2000 at the Sundance Film Festival. It went on to play at several international film festivals including the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival and the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. It first appeared in U.S. theaters on July 7, 2000, distributed by Lions Gate Films.cite web| title = But I'm a Cheerleader| publisher = BoxOfficeMojo.com| url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=butimacheerleader.htm| accessdate = 2007-04-22] Fine Line Features had intended to distribute the film but dropped it two months before it was due to open following a dispute with the film's production company, Ignite Entertainment.cite web
last =Churi
first =Maya
authorlink =Maya Churi
coauthors =Eugene Hernandez
title =Lion's Gate acquires Jamie Babbit's "But I'm A Cheerleader"
work =IndieWIRE
publisher =
date =2000-06-03
url =http://www.indiewire.com/biz/biz_000306_briefs.html
accessdate =2007-06-02 ] It closed after 8 weeks, with its widest release having been 115 theaters.

The film was released on Region 1 DVD by Lions Gate on July 22, 2002 and by Universal Studios on October 3, 2002.cite web| title = But I'm a Cheerleader| publisher = MovieWeb.com| url = http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/release/42/21742/features.php| accessdate = 2007-04-22] Other than the theatrical trailer, it contains no extras.cite web| title = DVD Review - Quick Peeks| publisher = DVD Review| url = http://www.dvdreview.com/quickpeek/collect/254.shtml| accessdate = 2007-05-13] It was released on Region 2 DVD on June 2, 2003 by Prism Leisure. In addition to the trailer, it features an interview with Jamie Babbit and behind the scenes footage.cite web| title = But I'm a Cheerleader| publisher = Amazon.co.uk| url = http://www.amazon.co.uk/But-Im-Cheerleader-Natasha-Lyonne/dp/B00005NBUC| accessdate = 2007-04-22]

Reception

Box office and audience reaction

"But I'm a Cheerleader" grossed US$2,205,627 in the United States and US$389,589 elsewhere, giving a total of US$2,595,216 worldwide. In its opening weekend, showing at four theaters, it earned $60,410 which was 2.7% of its total gross. According to Box Office Mojo, it ranked at 174 for all films released in the US in 2000 and 74 for R-rated films released that year. As of October 2007, its all time ranking for LGBT-related films is 68.

The film was a hit with festival audiences and received standing ovations at the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.cite web
last =Mandelberger
first =Sandy
title =New York Lesbian And Gay Film Festival -- 1 - 11 June
publisher =FilmFestivals.com
url =http://www.filmfestivals.com/int/overviews/2000/NYgay_00.htm
accessdate =2007-10-13 ] It has been described as a favorite with gay audiences and on the art house circuit.cite web
last =Tropiano
first =Stephen
title =But I'm a Cheerleader Review
publisher =PopMatters
url =http://www.popmatters.com/pm/film/reviews/34400/but-im-a-cheerleader/
accessdate =2007-10-12 ] cite book
last =Benshoff
first =Harry M.
coauthors =Sean Griffin
title =America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies
publisher =Blackwell Publishing
year =2004
location =
pages =333
isbn =0631225838 ]

Critical

Critical response to "But I'm a Cheerleader" was mostly negative. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a score of 35% based on 43 reviews,cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/but_im_a_cheerleader/ |title=But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-04-29 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes] and Metacritic gave it a score of 39% based on 30 reviews.cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/butimacheerleader?q=but%20i'm%20a%20cheerleader |title=But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-04-29 |publisher=MetaCritic] The overall theme of reviews is that it is a heartfelt film with good intentions, that is flawed.cite web |url=http://archive.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2000/07/07/cheerleader/index.html |title=But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-04-29 |last=Zacharek |first=Stephanie |date=2000-07-07 |publisher=Salon.com] Citation
last =Ebert
first =Roger
author-link =Roger Ebert
title =But I'm a Cheerleader
newspaper =Chicago Sun-Times
year =2000
date =2000-07-14
accessdate=2007-04-29
url =http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000714/REVIEWS/7140302/1023 ] cite web |url=http://www.reelviews.net/movies/b/but_cheerleader.html |title=But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-04-29 |last=Berardinelli |first=James |authorlink=James Berardinelli|year=2000 |publisher=ReelViews.net] Some reviewers found it funny and enjoyable with "genuine laughs".Citation
last =Baumgarten
first =Marjorie
title =But I'm a Cheerleader
newspaper =The Austin Chronicle
year =2000
date =2000-07-28
url =http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Calendar/Film?Film=oid%3a140561
accessdate=2007-04-29 ] Roger Ebert called it the type of film that "might eventually become a regular on the midnight cult circuit." Others found it obvious, leaden and heavy handed.Citation
last=Mitchell
first=Elvis
author-link=Elvis Mitchell
year=2000
title=Don't Worry. Pink Outfits Will Straighten Her Out.
date=2000-07-07
newspaper=The New York Times
accessdate=2007-04-29
url=http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/070700cheer-film-review.html]

Writing for "The New York Times", Elvis Mitchell described the character of Megan as a sweet heroine and Lyonne and DuVall were praised for their performances. Mick LaSalle called Lyonne wonderful and said that she was well matched by DuVall.Citation
last =LaSalle
first =Mick
author-link=Mick LaSalle
last2 =Guthmann
first2 =Edward
title =But I'm a Cheerleader
newspaper =San Francisco Chronicle
year =2000
date =2000-07-07
accessdate=2007-04-29
url =http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/07/07/DD85029.DTL#cheerleader ] Marjorie Baumgarten said that they "hit the right notes". Alexandra Mendenhall, writing for AfterEllen.com felt that the relationship between Graham and Megan, having great chemistry, does not get enough screen time.cite web
last =Mendenhall
first =Alexandra
title =Review of "But I'm a Cheerleader"
publisher =AfterEllen.com
date =2006-09-01
url =http://www.afterellen.com/Movies/2006/9/cheerleader.html
accessdate =2007-05-29 ] Mitchell called their love scenes "tender".Other characters, particularly the males, were described as "offputting" and "nothing but stereotypes".

Several reviewers compared the film to those of director John Waters but felt that it fell short of the mark.cite web |url=http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/reviews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000697322 |title=But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-04-29 |last=Noh |first=David |publisher=Film Journal International] Stephanie Zacharek called it a "Waters knockoff" while Ebert said that Waters might have been ruder and more polished. Babbit says that although Waters is one of her influences, she did not want her film to have the "bite" of his. She states that whereas John Waters does not like romantic comedies, she wanted to tell a conventionally romantic story. The production design, which was important to the overall look and feel of the film, drew mixed responses. LaSalle described it as clever and eyecatching and James Berardinelli called it a standout feature. Others found it to be gaudy, dated, cartoonish and ghastly.

Stephanie Zacharek, writing for Salon.com said that with regard to issues of sexual orientation and homophobia, Babbit is preaching to the converted. Cynthia Fuchs, for NitrateOnline.com, agreed, stating that "no one who is phobic might recognize himself in the film" and that "the audience who might benefit most from watching it either won't see the film or won't see the point".cite web |url=http://www.nitrateonline.com/2000/rcheerleader.html |title=But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-04-29 |last= Fuchs |first= Cynthia |date=2000-07-28|publisher=Nitrate Online] David Edelstein said that the one sidedness of the film creates a lack of dramatic tension and calls it lazy counterpropaganda. [Citation
last =Edelstein
first =David
author-link =David Edelstein
title =Overwrought caricatures backfire in "But I'm a Cheerleader"
newspaper =Slate
date =2000-07-07
url =http://www.slate.com/id/85778
accessdate = 2007-11-04 ] In contrast, LaSalle said that "the picture manages to make a heartfelt statement about the difficulties of growing up gay" and Timothy Shary said that the film openly challenges homophobia and offers support to teenaged gay viewers. [cite book
last =Shary
first =Timothy
title =Teen Movies: American Youth on Screen
publisher =Wallflower Press
year =2005
pages =99
url =http://books.google.com/books?id=howIB0OrsUYC&pg=PA99&d
isbn =1904764495 ] Chris Holmlund said that the film shows that queer identity is multi-faceted, using as an example the scene where the ex-ex-gays tell Megan that there is no one way to be a lesbian.

Reviews from the gay media were similar to those from the mainstream press. Jan Stuart, writing for "The Advocate", said that although the film tries to subvert gay stereotypes, it is unsuccessful. She called it numbingly crude and said that the kitsch portrait of Middle America is out of touch with today's gay teenagers.Citation
last = Stuart
first =Jan
title =But I'm a Cheerleader. - Review
newspaper =The Advocate
date =2000-07-18
url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2000_July_18/ai_63398442
accessdate = 2007-11-18 ] Mendenhall for AfterEllen.com called the story predictable and the characters stereotypical. Despite these comments she said that overall the film was funny and enjoyable. "Curve" called the film an incredible comedy and said that with this and her other work, Babbit has redefined lesbian film. [Citation
last =
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title =Women to watch in film
newspaper =Curve
pages =22
date =November 2003 ]

Awards

The film won the Audience Award and the Graine de Cinéphage Award at the 2000 Créteil International Women's Film Festival, an annual French festival which showcases the work of female directors.Citation
last =Sullivan
first =Monica
title = But I'm a Cheerleader-- Jamie Babbit Wins Créteil Films de Femmes 'Prix du Public'
newspaper =Movie Magazine International
year =2000
accessdate=2007-05-26
url =http://www.shoestring.org/mmi_revs/but-im-a-cheerleader.html ] Also that year it was nominated by the Political Film Society of America for the PFS award in the categories of Human Rights and Exposé, but lost out to "The Green Mile" and "Boys Don't Cry" respectively.cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/~polfilms/previous.html |title=Political Film Society - Previous Award Winners |accessdate=2007-05-13 |publisher=Political Film Society]

Music

The composer for "But I'm a Cheerleader" was Pat Irwin. The soundtrack has never been released on CD. Artists featured include indie acts Saint Etienne, Dressy Bessy and April March.cite web |url=http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=75068 |title=Soundtrack Details: But I'm a Cheerleader |accessdate=2007-05-28 |publisher=SoundtrackCollector] RuPaul contributed one track, "Party Train," which Eddie Cibrian's character Rock is shown dancing to.

Track listing

# "Chick Habit (Laisse tomber les filles)" (Elinor Blake, Serge Gainsbourg) performed by April March
# "Just Like Henry" (Tammy Ealom, John Hill, Rob Greene, Darren Albert) performed by Dressy Bessy
# "If You Should Try and Kiss Her" (Ealom, Hill, Greene, Albert) performed by Dressy Bessy
# "Trailer Song" (Courtney Holt, Joy Ray) performed by Sissy Bar
# "All or Nothing" (Cris Owen, Miisa) performed by Miisa
# "We're in the City" (Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs) performed by Saint Etienne
# "The Swisher" (Dave Moss, Ian Rich) performed by Summer's Eve
# "Funnel of Love" (Kent Westbury, Charlie McCoy) performed by Wanda Jackson
# "Ray of Sunshine" (Go Sailor) performed by Go Sailor
# "Glass Vase Cello Case" (Madigan Shive, Jen Wood) performed by Tattle Tale
# "Party Train" (RuPaul) performed by RuPaul
# "Evening in Paris" (Lois Maffeo) performed by Lois Maffeo
# "Together Forever in Love" (Go Sailor) performed by Go Sailor

Adaptations

In 2005 the New York Musical Theatre Festival featured a musical stage adaptation of "But I'm a Cheerleader" written by librettist and lyricist Bill Augustin and composer Andrew Abrams. With 18 original songs, it was directed by Daniel Goldstein and starred Chandra Lee Schwartz as Megan. [cite web
title =But I'm A Cheerleader To Debut At NYMF With Chandra Lee Schwartz, Kelly Karbacz, Natalie Joy Johnson, John Hill And More
publisher =BroadwayWorld.com
date =2005-08-25
url =http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4553
accessdate = 2007-10-14 ] It played during September 2005 at New York's Theatre at St. Clement's.cite web
title =But I'm a Cheerleader
work =New York Musical Theatre Festival
year =2005
url =http://www.broadway.com/gen/show.aspx?SI=516403
accessdate =2007-06-05 ]

References

External links

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