Released in 2000,Bring It Onbecame the first film in the cheerleading franchise. It went on to become a box office smash,a cult classic, and a mainstay of the adolescent rom-com wave of the 1990s and early-2000s, an era that continues to have cultural relevance nowadays.
Bring It Onfollows the Toros, a high school cheerleading team trying to fight their way to another championship win. When the members discover their five-time national title success is due to performances hijacked by their inner-city opponents, the East Compton Clovers, everything changes. The filmstars Kirsten Dunstas the gullible Toros captain, Torrance Shipman, and Gabrielle Union as the self-assured Clovers captain, Isis. “The Toros are a privileged group of kids who are used to winning, and are desperate to continue their winning streak,” said Katie Barnes, anESPNfeatures writer andBring It Onenthusiast. Barnes went on to note that “the Clovers are very much set up in direct opposition to the Toros, both in terms of access to resources… but also in terms of race." These differences in the teams lead to an interesting background storyline and assist with the viewer’s understanding of why these teams are so passionate about their craft throughout the film.
Bring It Onstrikes all the right notes for atongue-in-cheek teen comedy film, however, its screenplay is infused with pertinent issues such as trying to fit in at school, the discipline of competitiveness, managing relationships, and even social commentary on cultural appropriation. Here are some of the reasons why this film is still significant today. Ready? Okay!
Rebellious Teenage Years
Missy (Eliza Dushku), the rebellious new girl with so much potential that the squad members can’t help but let her join, makes the Toros team unique. She is a strong character who has aged well, and she makes fans chuckle when she auditions for the squad and says it was a “last resort” since she would have loved to join a gymnastics team instead. These rebellious teenage years are typically filled with turmoil for those who are considered less than popular. Having a character like Missy who does what she wants and doesn’t seem to care what others think of her is a refreshing way to showcase that rebellion is sometimes about more than just fighting against our own teenage hormones. Missy is actually an excellent litmus test for how snobbish the squad is since she is the polar opposite of them.
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Developing Friendships
WhileBring It Onis most recognized as a highly-rated teen sports film, the film also focuses on the friendship of the main characters Torrance and the new student Missy. While everyone else is suspicious of Missy and believes she’s too serious, Torrance and Missy bond over the Toros unwittingly plagiarizing from the Clovers. Missy’s support for Torrance during this moment is a refreshing approach to friendship values. It’s endearing to witness these individuals become excellent friends, and even when viewers see this movie now, it still appears to be a real friendship.
Athletic Competition
Fans will get to watch some great cheering routines throughout this movie. The national cheering championship inBring It Onis a big event, with Torrance training her squad for success while praying for the best. It would be unfortunate if this incident didn’t stand up as the film’s finale, but happily, it still seems as thrilling as ever. Torrance is torn between shame at how severely Big Red (Lindsay Sloane), the former captain, screwed things up and a strong desire to win. While we don’t get to see much of their training on-screen, it’s also obvious that the Clovers team has been training just as hard to do the best they can while also hoping for a win. Overall, this film demonstrates that cheering is a serious athletic undertaking that requires a significant amount of time and effort.
Popularity Is Not Everything
Torrance is introduced to the audience as a popular girl who appears to crave that over everything else. She does not appear to be empathetic, and she is clearly self-absorbed. As the film develops, Tor realizes that reputation isn’t everything in life, and she acquires a lot of perspectives from her connections to Missy and Cliff (Jesse Bradford). Tor desires to be loved, however, she also aspires to break the pattern of plagiarism and move the Toros to a fresh, better situation. A protagonist who is concerned about being popular but simultaneously trying to do the proper thing is a recurring motif in teen films and television shows, and it works nicely in this.
Also, at one point in the film, Torrance excitedly hires cheer choreographer Sparky Polastri (Ian Roberts) to create a fresh dance for the upcoming competition. Her hopes are dashed when she witnesses another team doing the very same routine with the exact same moves and music. The genuine sorrow of this moment remains, and it is one of the most emotional passages in the entire tale. Audiences feel horrible for Tor because they know she felt she was doing the responsible thing and didn’t want to plagiarize anyone else’s routine. This is an intriguing moment because she recognizes that cheering is not everything in life, since it has recently caused her a lot of grief. Just don’t forget the spirit fingers!
Related:Gabrielle Union Says Another Bring It On Sequel Is Possible
Endearing Romance
A decent 2000s adolescent film requires agripping romantic dramathat culminates in a dramatic end-of-the-movie smooch, whichBring It Ondelivers. Fans like seeing Tor fall in love with Missy’s brother Cliff, even though she refuses to recognize it at first, as seen by their sweet moment in which they brush their teeth while flirting, a now iconic moment of the film. Cliff can see Tor is educated and kind, and that she needs time to develop and move on from the all-encompassing nature of cheering, but he’s still captivated by her. Their romance is still relevant today because it shows teens the importance of building a true friendship prior to entering into a more serious relationship.
Racism and Cultural Appropriation
One of the biggest things inBring It Onthat stands the test of time is how it navigates the racial differences between the Toros and the Clovers. The most unforgettable scene inBring It Onis when Missy brings Torrance to watch the Clovers team because she recognizes their moves. Torrance discovers that her team’s former leader, Big Red, has duplicated their routines. Torrance is astonished and upset by this revelation, which provides the spectator with the first indication that she is a wiser and gentler individual than the members of the squad may assume. This moment is still as gripping and disturbing as it was when the film was first released. This plot thread allows the film to address issues of racism and cultural appropriation.
Shannon Miller ofThe AV Clubnotes that “beyond representing the reality of competitive cheerleading, the mighty, mighty Toros also exhibited the need to advocate for a better, more equitable future for the cheer industry,” and that “Big Red’s seemingly normalized actions, and her remaining team’s listless reaction upon finding out about her fraudulent behavior, highlighted a widespread and largely accepted racial and class disparity that has existed in cheerleading since the late ’60s.”
Luckily, in a sweet scene at the end of the film, Torrance is shown congratulating Isis on earning first prize in the championship. It’s wonderful to watch these diverse characters starting to come together. The conclusion of the film gives Isis and the Clovers a great ending, which they deserve given how they were ultimately exploited. This will always be a gratifying finale with a valuable learning opportunity.
