But I'm a Cheerleader

Director: Jamie Babbit Jamie Babbit

Overview

"Jamie Babbit's biting satire But I'm a Cheerleader gets a second DVD release from Lion's Gate that differs very little from the original. The film is presented in a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Stereo. English and Spanish subtitles are accessible. There are no supplemental materials of any consequence. This is an acceptable, but by-the-numbers release."

Product Details

Release Date:	07/22/2003
UPC:	0031398834823
Original Release:	1999
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:24:00
Sales rank:	5,159

Special Features

Closed Caption;16 x 9 widescreen (1.85:1); English and Spanish subtitles

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Natasha Lyonne	Megan
Clea DuVall	Graham
Cathy Moriarty	Mary
Eddie Cibrian	Rock
RuPaul	Mike
Melanie Lynskey	Hilary
Mink Stole	Megan's Mom
Douglas Spain	Andre
Kip Pardue	Clayton
Dante Basco	Dolph
Katrina Phillips	Jan
Michelle Williams	Kimberly
Brandt Wille	Jared
Katie Donahue	Cheerleader No. 1
Danielle Reneau	Cheerleader No. 2
Katharine Towne	Sinead
Joel Michaely	Joel
Kyle Thatcher	Joel's Father
Robert Pine	Mr. Eaton
Rachelle Carson	Graham's Stepmom
Wesley Mann	Lloyd
Richard Moll	Larry
Julie Delpy	Lipstick Lesbian
Charles Braden	Bruce
Bud Cort	Peter
Robert Farrior	Actor
J. Peck	Actor
Ione Skye	Actor
Pat Irwin	Composer

Technical Credits

Jamie Babbit

Brian Wayne Peterson

Jamie Babbit	Director,Executive Producer,Screenwriter
Michael Burns	Executive Producer
Marc Butan	Executive Producer
Leanna Creel	Producer
Andrea Sperling	Producer
Brian Wayne Peterson	Screenwriter
Peter Locke	Executive Producer
Donald Kushner	Executive Producer
Julia Kim	Casting
Georgianne Walken	Casting
Sheila Jaffe	Casting
Eamon McGillicuddy	Key Grip
Shawn Holden	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

But I'm a Cheerleader, MTV director Jamie Babbit's debut feature, will probably never be considered her breakout film, though its brightly colored art direction and over-the-top cast of characters may very well turn it into a camp regular among the cult circuit. While the somewhat choppy pacing reveals Babbit's own lack of directorial development, it unintentionally strengthens the plight of Megan (Natasha Lyonne), who, like the film itself, awkwardly delves into precarious territory without having had the chance to grow into herself beforehand. But I'm a Cheerleader is also a blatant, if lighthearted, send-up of gender stereotyping in all of its ugliness. The neon assault of pink-for-the-girls and blue-for-the-boys effectively reinforces the idea of predetermined gender roles throughout the film, and it doesn't take much satire from the sex-obsessed camp staff to indicate that the budding homosexuals may not be as "addicted" to so-called acts of sexual deviance as certain members of their hetero-leaning counterparts seem to be. In fact, little satire is needed to exaggerate the rigorous emphasis of gender roles on society, and Lyonne's performance as a sweet-but-ditzy cheerleader smart enough to realize that something isn't quite right makes for a heartfelt journey into the surreal existence of camps like True Directions. Glimpses of John Waters-inspired absurdity peeks through in Cathy Moriarty's portrayal of Mary Brown, the camp director who presides over the "at risk" teens with an iron fist while in denial concerning her own son's obvious homosexuality, as well as within drag queen RuPaul Charles' performance as a True Directions graduate who was successfully shoved back into the closet. Judged on its own terms, But I'm a Cheerleader is an enjoyable experience which, despite lacking the gritty political implications of other gay & lesbian films, successfully uses its own lightness as a vehicle to impart the weighty nature of the message itself.