But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

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

Director:

Jamie Babbit

Writers:

Brian Peterson (screenplay) (as Brian Wayne Peterson), Jamie Babbit (story)

Stars:

Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Michelle Williams

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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 Rene	...	Cheerleader #2 (as Danielle Reneau)
Cathy Moriarty	...	Mary Brown
Eddie Cibrian	...	Rock
Melanie Lynskey	...	Hilary
Clea DuVall	...	Graham
Katrina Phillips	...	Jan
Katharine Towne	...	Sinead
Joel Michaely	...	Joel

Storyline

Megan is an all-American girl. She's a cheerleader and has a boyfriend, but she doesn't like kissing him very much, and she's pretty tactile with her cheerleader friends, and she only has pictures of girls up in her locker. Her parents and friends conclude that she *must* be gay and send her off to "sexual redirection" school, full of admittedly homosexual misfits, where she can learn how to be straight. Will Megan be turned around to successful heterosexuality, or will she succumb to her love for the beautiful Graham?

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | cheerleader | lesbian relationship | lesbian teen | lesbian kiss | 

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Taglines:

A Comedy Of Sexual Disorientation

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language and sexual content involving teens

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 August 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Make Me Over

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$60,410, 9 July 2000

Gross USA:

$2,205,627

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,595,216

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cheerleader LLC, Hate Kills Man (HKM), Ignite Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

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: A Cinderella Story (1998). Additionally, Lynskey had already worked with Natasha Lyonne (Megan) in Detroit Rock City (1999).

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Goofs

At the cheer-leading practice, the coach reminds the girls they need to pick their uniforms for the big game. Yet, when Meagan is on the way to True Directions and she passes the bus with the cheerleaders on it, they are wearing the same uniforms they wore to practice that day.

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Quotes

Joel: I... I mean, you're more than just a sissy. You're nice and... and clean and smart... and sexy and firm and luscious and...
Andre: Excuse me! The last thing I need right now is some fruit who's just proved himself straight tellin' my ass how sexy I am!

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Alternate Versions

Two scenes were removed from the movie to obtain a "R" rating. The two scenes were:

• There was a much more longer version of Megan masturbating.
• The sex scene between Megan and Graham was toned down because it was much too explicit and would have caused the movie to receive a "NC-17" rating.

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Connections

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

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Soundtracks

Ray Of Sunshine
Written and Performed by Go Sailor
Published by Go Sailor
Courtesy of Lookout! Records LLC
By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group

User Reviews

A great and very misunderstood movie

So many people do not like this movie simply because they do not understand it. First of all, yes the movie is full of stereotypes, but that's the point. They're there to show how ridiculous these stereotypes really are and to show that in the end, you cannot change who you are, you just have to learn to accept it and get the people around you to accept you. Second, some stereotypes that I've heard people notice really weren't there. I don't think anywhere in the movie did they try to make Christians look stupid (hey, the homophobic Christians are pretty good at making themselves look stupid WITHOUT help). Okay maybe Megan's comment about "God is good, God is straight - hey that's pretty good," but still, I think sometimes people LOOK for something to be offended by. I think this movie does make fun of many straight people, who claim that gays are recruiting, when it is actually the other way around (as one can see by the existence of True Directions, and in the fact that when Megan asks them to teach her to be a lesbian, they tell her that they can't do that). All in all, this is a great movie and I really enjoyed it! As for people who didn't, hey, you're allowed to not like it, but if it is for reasons that really don't seem warranted, maybe you should give But I'm a Cheerleader another look.