Bring it On (2000)

Who, watching Bring it On, back in the day didn't love it? Something was different with this perky, poppy, cheerleader movie. It wasn't like the others...it was, dare I say, good. 

Of course, not everything that was good to me as a preteen holds up today, so I expected a good nostalgic laugh as I clicked Bring it On's image on Netflix. Surprisingly, and to my delight, I found that this movie holds up. Why does this seemingly silly movie still impress me? Because it is, dare I say, good. 

Screenshot from trailer

Camerawork is super important to me, and this camerawork is very skilled, very intentional. Most of the shots aren't fancy or out of the ordinary, or even stylized, but the shots are well done, and a talented eye is behind that camera. I think that this is one of a few reason why this movie stands out against similar movies in the genre. The cinematography in Bring it On isn't just a method of capturing the video needed to make a film, it isn't a throwaway element like I have seen in other romantic teen comedies.

The film doesn't take itself too seriously. It is a cheer-leading movie about an upper middle class, blonde, high school cheerleader, so I would hope it wouldn't (though, of course, sometimes films like this do). But it also doesn't take itself lightly, if that makes sense. What I mean is, the film is aware of what kind of story it is telling, not trying to present itself as greater or deeper. In this way, it doesn't take itself too seriously. While this movie is light and funny, it is not a parody. Its humor is not the same as a film like Clueless (1995), a humor which centers on the protagonist and her "troubles" (I love this movie, by the way; this isn't a criticism). Bring it On respects Torrance (Kirsten Dunst). It respects her struggle to be a meaningful leader, a high school girl, a person who can engage with the world outside of her safe bubble, while still being fun and silly. The dialogue is sharp and funny. It's a little dramatic, but come on, it's high school, so all of these things feel dramatic, and the drama is fun.

Screenshot from trailer

It is a light movie about determination, trying to overcome a challenge to win a championship , about finding out who real friends are, about breaking down barriers between social groups--all things that we have seen a million times before in high school movies.

It is also about race and class, opportunity and mobility. Torrance learns that all of her team's, the Toro's, championships have been a lie--their routines stolen from another school's team a few hours away. That team, the Clovers, is made up of black women who infuse hip-hop into their routines. It is no question that the Clovers have the talent to win competitions but, unlike the Toros, money is a hurdle, so they have watched the Toros use their stolen routine to win competitions that they do not have access to. But this year, Isis (Gabrielle Union), the Clovers new captain, is fed up. When she sees Torrance watching the Clovers practice, she confronts her. Torrance is at a loss, unsure of what to do. She wants to win, but she wants to win because the team deserves it. The movie carries on.

Screenshot from trailer

This movie is about how talent isn't the only reason people are successful. It is about a well-meaning, privileged girl who so doesn't get it, who is forced to realize that her world isn't as simple as a "go team". Torrance asks her father for money so that the Clovers can go to the competition, in an effort to be fair, to compete against the best team, but the Clovers refuse the check. They do not want her pity, they want to win on their terms. We feel for Torrance because her efforts are sincere, but they are also very privileged, "charitable", and she learns this through embarrassment. By the end of the film though, both Torrance and Isis come to an unspoken, mutual respect. They, on some level, are on level ground, seeing each other as determined team captains who work hard; they see each other as equals. In this way, the movie is not just a simple, airhead movie. It confronts race, not taking privilege lightly. It is still a movie about a bouncy blonde trying to win a cheer-leading competition, but it is also a little more.

The gymnastics and choreography (plus the camera's capturing of these) were great too.

I was gushing about liking this movie when somebody responded that it is racist. I don't think that this is the case at all. Not that the movie is perfect, not that race is the central plot, even, but I do think that it is a well done movie that engages with race in a meaningful way. This same person gave 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) a thumbs up, a movie that I enjoyed when I was younger but found doesn't hold up for the most part when I watched it recently, and also I think deals with race in a weird way. I am open to thoughts and differences on this, of course.


Watch the trailer here