Review of But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) by Phil B — 01 Nov 2007

So what we have here is a fairly light-hearted comedy flick about a goody-two-shoes cheerleader, whose parents and friends become convinced she is a lesbian, and have her sent away to a homosexual teenager deprogramming centre.

The plot has scope for laughs, but unfortunately it barely delivers a single one. If you're a religious follower of political correctness, perhaps you will find the whole plot edgey and outrageous - maybe you'll regard it as terribly cheeky or something.

Maybe you'll find it in yourself to root for the main character as she takes on the establishment, and fights for the girl she falls for at the deprogramming centre. Maybe you'll snigger at the deprogramming centre staff, and parents, oblivious to the fact that what you're being presented with are some fairly dishonest stereotypes of people who dare to hold a non-politically correct viewpoint.

Perhaps youâ??ll find the camp antics of the visitors to the deprogramming centre hilarious (presumably because this is the first comedy film youâ??ve ever seen!). Or perhaps youâ??ll get to the end of the film, shrug your shoulders, and award it one star, like me.

I think RuPaul probably earned that one star all by himself, in this film incidentally. My feeling is that this film fails because itâ??s not sure what itâ??s aiming for. It fails to tackle any gay issues, because it has to limit the seriousness of itâ??s content and it lacks the necessary level of honesty required.

It fails to tickle the funny bone, perhaps because itâ??s so keen that you see the vague/under-thought points itâ??s trying to make, or maybe just because the writers forgot to put any jokes in! So, in short, youâ??ll get to the end, and you probably wonâ??t have slit your wrists along the way, but itâ??s doubtful whether youâ??ll have laughed, been emotionally moved or been intellectually challenged.

Definitely one to recommend to your sworn enemies!