But I’m a Cheerleader (Jamie Babbit)
Bubblegum satire But I’m a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babbit, stars pre-Orange is the New Black Natasha Lyonne as Megan Bloomfield, a high school cheerleader whose parents send her to a conversion therapy camp. The camp is strict in its gender definitions, stripped down to its core stereotypical gender roles–boys wear blue, girls wear pink, girls cook, men build, and so on. While there, Megan begins to accept her sexual orientation, as she also begins to fall in love for the first time. Below the surface of satirical cynicism, there’s an underbelly of sweetness, and Lyonne is all doe-eyed and playful, a strong lead who matches the tone of the film perfectly. The film is a romantic comedy with a truly satisfying ending. It deserves a cult classic status.
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