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But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

★★★ — But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

Jamie Babbit made But I'm a Cheerleader as her feature debut, having previously directed short films and music videos, and it remains the project she is best known for. Shot on a modest budget of around $1.2 million, it was produced during the late 1990s indie boom, when low-budget American films with queer themes were finding small but devoted audiences on the festival circuit and in art-house release. The film arrived at a pointed cultural moment: conversion therapy was still being openly promoted by religious and conservative organisations in the United States, and the late 1990s saw early mainstream pushback against that practice. Natasha Lyonne was coming off a high-profile run following Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), while Clea DuVall had just appeared in The Faculty (1998), making the two recognisable faces from the teen film landscape of the period.

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) arrives with a reputation as a cult classic. A satirical takedown of conversion therapy and heteronormative conditioning that's been praised for its campy boldness and ahead-of-its-time messaging. And there's no denying its heart is in the right place: Natasha Lyonne's Megan is a sympathetic heroine, RuPaul steals every scene he's in as the flamboyantly sinister camp leader Mike, and the film's central critique of "pray the gay away" ideology remains painfully relevant decades later. Yet the execution lands in an odd, tonally disorienting middle ground. The film's aesthetic (vibrant pinks and blues, exaggerated set design, characters who speak and behave like they've wandered in from a 90s Nickelodeon sitcom like Clarissa Explains It All) creates a distancing effect. What might have been intended as deliberate camp often reads as tonal confusion: are we watching a biting satire, a teen comedy, or a surreal parody? The performances lean into broad caricature, which works for some characters but leaves other characters feeling like cardboard cutouts rather than fully realised people. An interesting, well-intentioned film that's easier to admire than to love. Its cultural significance is undeniable, and there are genuinely funny, subversive moments scattered throughout. But the cartoonish presentation undercuts the emotional weight of its subject matter, leaving it feeling more quirky than the sharp satire it aspires to be.

Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1999 | Watched: 2026-04-08

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Where to watch (UK)

Stream: Amazon Prime Video · Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Lionsgate+ Amazon Channels
Rent: Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Buy: Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Sky Store
Physical: Amazon UK

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Where to watch (UK)

Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.

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