#16 - But I'm a Cheerleader

If there's one movie that always leaves me with a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart, it's But I'm a Cheerleader. Premiering in 1999, But I'm a Cheerleader is one of the funniest satires I've seen, and being that it was the first lesbian movie I ever saw, it did leave an imprint in the good ol' bag of lesbian nostalgia-dom.

Feelings aside however, But I'm a Cheerleader is a very good romantic comedy. The acting leaves a little to be desired, but it is still pretty entertaining to watch. From the seasoned lesbian/gay man who can laugh at gay jokes to the coming out of the closet person who can kinda begin to see that maybe being gay isn't all that terrible, the sexual innuendoes and the setting full of stereotypes is one that anyone can enjoy.

Plot

The movie is about Megan, a girl-next door, apple pie making, cheerleader who is sent to True Directions, an center that turns gays into ex-gays, after her friends and family conclude that she must be a lesbian. She does have all the signs - a poster of Melissa Ethridge, doesn't eat meat, has a flowery pillow, and doesn't like kissing her boyfriend. While she originally protests being gay, hence the "but I'm a cheerleader!" part, once at True Directions she does come to realize and admit to her true feelings. The rest of the movie centers around her, her romantic interest, and the other kids at the center while they attempt to convert, subvert, or run away from True Directions.

The movie pokes light hearted fun at the idea of conversion therapy, stereotypes, and closed minded adults, all of which adds to the charm of the film.

Characters

All the characters in the film add a special, unique flavor to the movie. While each person does represent one stereotype or another, they are all lovable and you feel for each of the teens in the move. The relationships between the characters are also heartwarming and positive, for the most part. While there are a couple times where I did get annoyed by the protagonist, her actions do remind you that people are flawed and at times ridiculous.

Setting

One of the things that stands out when watching the movie, is the use of color in the setting. Most of the colors related to the gay teens are so bright and vibrant, which stands in stark contrast to the background and attire of the parents in the film, and the world outside of True Directions. This sharp contrast brings a tone of surrealism to the film that make the events in the movie that much more believable to the audience.

But I'm a Cheerleader is definitely a positive lesbian movie for a person of any age, particularly teens. It is funny, heartwarming, and charming. Unlike many of the other films that end in tragedy or disgrace, this movie ends with a sense of hope for the future.

#57 - Mango Kiss

After having watched Mango Kiss, I can now almost completely understand why there are some people out there who can't stand watching But I'm a Cheerleader. Both have this surreal quality to it - from the way the characters dress, the color of the scenery, and the plot itself. I compare this movie to But I'm a Cheerleader because that is what it reminded me of... except that the characters weren't teenagers, but instead butch kinky women. So basically, But I'm a Cheerleader... rated R.

As such, I'm left with a lot of questions that could be used for both movies. Where the hell is this supposed to take place? Why is everyone so absurd? Why did I spend time watching this? (at least, for BIAC, these questions were made with a positive undertone). During brief periods while watching this, I even found myself thinking... I need a break, this is too much for me.

So let's get down to the nitty gritty, shall we?

Characters:

Whether the director thought it important or not to mention, it was the one thing that I kept going back to when asking myself "why is everyone so absurd?" The narrator starts off the movie by mentioning that they had recently graduated college, and with that background the one thing that I could think of was...ooh! they are too baked to be a part of reality just yet.

Yes, that is the way these characters acted. In particular, Sassafrass. Yes. That is her name. Either this girl was oblivious to the world around her, brain fried to know she was in one, or making pretend. Her actions angered me and her voice made me want to just put the movie on mute and turn on closed captioning.

Lou was a little bit more tolerable, although she was still a little bit too much of a punk for my tastes.

The rest of the characters were over-the-top, and depicted as amazingly extreme lesbians who are either femme, butch or just completely out there. My favorite characters were their neighbors who were depicted as the femme and stone butch who basically live like a husband and wife. But their satire could not make up for the rest of this movie. Now, I know, I know, the movie is not supposed to be taken seriously, its a comedy, but.... I can't help but be too amazed that this terrible movie was actually made into a movie.

Plot/Setting

The movie is about these two girls who originally started off as best friends, became something more, explored non-monogamy, entered the world of S&M and started to fall apart when they realized that they were in over their heads and had no idea what to do about it.

I go back the question I posed before... where the hell is supposed to take place? Supposedly they live in San Francisco, but I feel like a place like this can't exist. And if it does, I'd rather not go there. It's not because of the themes, but because the characters were just too... intolerable.

Pros

There were none. No, totally joking. The acting wasn't that bad. The actors did a good at job at playing their roles. Either that or they were completely baked while playing their parts.

I remember Telemachus Two mentioning that there aren't that many movies with butches that she's seen. Well, here everyone is. So if you are just looking for a movie with butch characters, this is it. Do you want one that has that and is of good quality? Keep looking.

So now that I've finished giving in my two cents, I should add that I'm sure there are many lesbians out there who would love this movie. In the same way that there are those who hate But I'm a Cheerleader, and those that love it, I'm sure this movie has split viewer-ship. You are just reading the side that would rather not have seen that movie at all.