When I saw the first ad for this movie my initial thought was "Oh great, Coyote Ugly II: The Teen Years." What else was I to think? The ads focused entirely on bouncing cheerleaders shaking their butts at the camera. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that unlike Coyote Ugly, which featured similar ads, this movie had a bit of a brain.
 Don't get me wrong, we're not talking Citizen Kane here. But for a movie about cheerleaders, this one is pretty smart. Probably the movie's biggest problem is that it was shackled to the PG-13 rating. If it had been allowed to go for an R rating it could have had some teeth to go with its brains.
The movie walks a careful line in respecting its source material while simultaneously not being afraid to mock it. With that in mind, no better choice could have been made for the lead than Kirsten Dunst. As Torrance Shipman, newly crowned captain of a five time national champion cheerleading squad, Dunst plays the character near perfectly. She comes off with a naivete that could easily be mistaken for a lack of intelligence. Torrance isn't dumb though, she just has a lot to learn. Dunst embues her with a real earnestness that makes what could have been a bad charicature in less capable hands ring true. Dunst makes Torrance a fierce competitor hiding behind the cheery smiles and pom poms of a cheerleader. She inherits the Rancho Carne High Toros squad from the exiting captain. In charge for the first time she puts them through a tough exercise that leads to one of them breaking a leg. A replacement is needed and the full of attitude, former gymnast transfer student Missy (Eliza Dushku) fits the bill. Almost immediately though she recognizes the squad's routines. She takes Torrance to LA to see an inner city squad perform. They quickly discover that the former Toros captain had stolen the routines from the East Compton Clovers squad. A school too poor to send its cheerleaders to competitions. Led by Isis (Gabrielle Union), this squad has acres of talent and style and steal numerous scenes. Now they are going to compete nationally and Torrance has to find a new routine fast to avoid humiliation. The fact that the movie is about cheerleaders is what made it hard for me to take it seriously before hand. The fact that I could take it seriously is what makes it good. When I was in high school the cheerleaders were never taken seriously. They were just a noisy nuisance attached to the football team. In this movie the tables are turned. The cheerleaders are the real athletes, the real attraction. The football team, on the other hand, is a pathetic bunch of losers too dim to realize that it is they who are being laughed at. Just to make sure that the audience takes the cheerleaders seriously as athletes the Toros and Clovers put on some dazzling performances that highlight the athletic aspect of cheerleading. Despite my normally cynical nature I found it impossible not to be impressed with their vaults, leaps and balance. The movie makes a point to not avoid issues of race and sexual orientation. Instead it treats them very matter of factly. They aren't issues in this movie, simply facts of life. That's good because it kept the movie's focus where it belongs without having to ignore or diminish valid issues. It's not pull off flawlessly but it's a commendable effort for a lighthearted comedy. The biggest problem though is the love story between Torrance and Missy's brother Cliff (Jesse Bradford). While most of the script is sharply written, this part is almost painfully unoriginal. This is a paint by numbers relationship that nails every known romance cliche along the way. Pretty much its only saving grace is a charming scene involving brushing teeth. That scene was original and very informative without a word of dialogue. Director Peyton Reed gives the movie a relentlessly cheerful attitude that matches the subject matter well. As I said earlier though, this movie isn't allowed to really bite because of its rating. Numerous exchanges are a bit too muted and it has a locker room scene that shows nothing more than underwear. It adds up to a light comedy that is better than you would expect but not something to get too excited about either. High praise goes to Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku and Gabrielle Union for their performances. Hopefully this will lead to better material for that trio. Their talents deserve to be showcased in better movies. - John Shea
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