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Top > Lesbian Movie Reviews > Article
Lesbian Movie Review: But I’m a Cheerleader / Comedy, Romance (1999)
By Kaylee Larson, LesbianLoveNow.com
With the release of the movie, But I’m a Cheerleader, director Jamie Babbit brings a whole new twist to old-school thinking about lesbianism and bisexuality, skillfully depicting the emotional turmoil that a teenager experiences as she discovers her sexuality and closely examining the discomfort and difficulties faced by her friends and family, who deal with the issue of her sexuality in surprisingly
less-than-ideal ways.
Pushing the boundaries of real-life situations, in which most gays and lesbians come out of the closet willingly and face the ensuing difficulty with acceptance, But I’m a Cheerleader follows the story of a young girl as she struggles to find happiness and fit in despite the fact that almost everyone around her assumes she’s a lesbian and tries to force her to become straight.
Natasha Lyonne gives a moving performance as Megan, a bright-eyed teenager whose parents send her to camp in an attempt to rehabilitate her lesbian ways. Despite having the appearance of an all-American cheerleader with a healthy circle of male and female friends (and a steady boyfriend), Megan is unable to convince her parents that she doesn’t belong in sexual preference rehab, where the teachers try to brainwash her to reject her “horribly wrong” ways. They start by convincing Megan to admit that she is a lesbian – the first step in the five-step “rehabilitation” program.
But I’m a Cheerleader synthesizes a wide array of genres by incorporating serious emotion, real-world attitudes, and sarcastic comedy. Lyonne does a fantastic job of making viewers laugh with her character's one-liners and awkwardly hilarious quips about becoming a lesbian. At the same time, you will cry with her as she learns how hard being a lesbian can truly be. Facing her demons is even harder than it seems, as she seeks acceptance on this terrifying personal journey.
Supporters of the lesbian lifestyle will cheer for this movie, as Megan refuses to allow the school system and rehab camp to bring her down and steer her away from following her heart. In the end, Megan realizes that she has fallen in love with Graham (played by Clea DuVall), a charming girl she meets at the camp, who desperately tries to fight her feelings for Megan until neither of them can deny their love any longer.
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