I just don't get it

Rating: 1/10 (28 January 2002)

"Is this movie for real?!" That's all I could think the first time I saw this film. The story follows the Rancho Carne Toros cheerleading team and their captain Torrance (Kirstin Dunst) as they make their way through the tumultuous world of cheerleading. The Toros are champion cheerleaders, but soon after being named captain, Torrance discovers that their team has actually been stealing cheers from a poor, inner-city school. Poor "Tor" is torn. She wants her team to win, but will she be able to do it without cheating? The plot isn't a bad idea, really. It's just your basic sports movie (although there is debate about whether cheering is a sport.) However, the aspect that really brings the movie down is the seriousness that is laid on extra thick in nearly every scene. For example, when trying to convince a skeptical newcomer to join the team, Torrance says with a cheesy grin, "We work hard, we have fun, and we win national championships." She sounds like an infomercial for the Wonderful World of Cheering. To make matters even more confusing, the ultra-seriousness is alternated with jokes and situations that blatantly make fun of cheering and reinforce the blond, bimbo cheerleader stereotype. I really can't figure out if they're trying to make cheerleading the hero or the butt of the jokes. Plus, Kirstin Dunst was so annoying as the self-centered, cheering obsessed, PMSing Torrance that I really don't think I'll voluntarily see another one of her movies for quite some time.