But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

Director:

Jamie Babbit

Writers:

Brian Wayne Peterson (screenplay)
Jamie Babbit (story)

Release Date:

16 November 2000 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

A Comedy Of Sexual Disorientation

Plot:

A naive teenager is sent to rehab camp when her straitlaced parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian.

Plot Keywords:

Lesbian | Cheerleader | Gay | Rehab | Rehab Camp

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Natasha Lyonne	...	Megan
Michelle Williams	...	Kimberly
Brandt Wille	...	Jared
Bud Cort	...	Peter
Mink Stole	...	Nancy
RuPaul	...	Mike (as RuPaul Charles)
Katie Donahue	...	Cheerleader #1
Danielle Reneau	...	Cheerleader #2
Cathy Moriarty	...	Mary Brown
Eddie Cibrian	...	Rock
Melanie Lynskey	...	Hilary
Clea DuVall	...	Graham
Katrina Phillips	...	Jan
Katharine Towne	...	Sinead
Joel Michaely	...	Joel

Also Known As:

Make Me Over (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and sexual content involving teens.

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:18A (Manitoba) | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Germany:12 | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Cheerleader LLC

Trivia:

Melanie Lynskey was Jamie Babbit's first choice to play Hilary after the director had seen her in Heavenly Creatures (1994) and Ever After (1998). Additionally, Lynskey had already worked with Natasha Lyonne (Megan) in Detroit Rock City (1999).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The top of a crew member's head appears at the bottom of the screen just after Megan and Dolph get out of the pick-up, in army clothes, to go and save their respective lovers from the diploma ceremony.

Quotes:

Sinead: If that little twink would've narced on me, heads would have rolled.

Movie Connections:

References Raging Bull (1980)

Soundtrack:

Chick Habit (Laisse Tomber Les Filles)

Satiric delight

This film is a biting and hilarious parody of people who not only force themselves into artificial molds but also feel the to make other people fit the same stereotypical molds. The main attack of the satire is on the delusion that homosexuals can be cured by people who are themselves repressed homosexuals.

Deliciously silly victorian roles of males and females are superimposed on the teenagers who struggle not to be who they really are. But the garishly-colored costumes of the 1950's "Father Knows Best" and "Leave It To Beaver" style are as incongruous as the fake role-playing. In the end, at least some of the young victims of this cruelty escape to face a life of being themselves.