But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
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A cheerleader's journey of self-discovery begins when she is sent to a conversion therapy camp to 'cure' her lesbianism.
The story
High school cheerleader Megan Bloomfield is dating a football player but finds herself distracted by fantasies about her fellow cheerleaders. Concerned by her behavior, her family and friends stage an intervention and force her to attend 'True Directions,' a conversion therapy camp. The program aims to 'cure' her through a series of steps, including performing gender-associated tasks and simulating heterosexual intercourse. At the camp, Megan meets other individuals also seeking to 'cure' themselves, including a college student named Graham. Amidst the structured environment of the camp, Megan must navigate her identity while facing the pressures of her upbringing and the reality of her feelings.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Megan Bloomfield, a cheerleader, is sent to the True Directions conversion therapy camp after her family suspects she is a lesbian. The camp, run by the strict Mary J. Brown, uses a five-step program to force attendees into heterosexuality. Megan meets Graham, a college student also at the camp, and others like the muscular Dolph and the retail worker Clayton. After a series of events, including the discovery of secret relationships among the campers and a forced public shaming by Mary, Megan and Graham's relationship becomes romantic. After being kicked out of the camp for her defiance, Megan becomes comfortable with her identity. She eventually joins forces with her friends to rescue Graham and Clayton from the camp's graduation ceremony. Megan performs a song for Graham, and they escape together. The film ends with Megan's parents attending a PFLAG meeting to accept their daughter's identity.
- First release year
- 1999
- Runtime (minutes)
- 85
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jamie Babbit
- Writers
- Brian Wayne Peterson · screenplay; Jamie Babbit · story
- Cast and characters
- Natasha Lyonne · Megan Bloomfield; Clea DuVall · Graham Eaton; Melanie Lynskey; RuPaul · Mike; Eddie Cibrian; Wesley Mann; Richard Moll; Douglas Spain · Andre; Katharine Towne; Cathy Moriarty
- Genres
- satirical; teen; romantic comedy
- Themes
- sexuality; gender roles; social conformity; heteronormativity
- Tone and mood
- satirical; colorful
- Premise and plot tags
- LGBTQ+; conversion therapy; coming-of-age
- Source material / true-story basis
- An article about conversion therapy
- Content notes
- sexual content
- Reception
- The film polarized critics upon release, with some praising the performances and others criticizing the stereotypical characters and superficial humor. It developed a cult following and is considered a classic within the LGBTQ community for its portrayal of the harms of conversion therapy.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 43% · review count: 92; Metacritic · score: 39 · scale: 100 · review count: 30
- Awards and nominations
- PFS Award · Human Rights · 2000 · nominated; PFS Award · Exposé · 2000 · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was originally rated NC-17 by the MPAA.; The musical score has never been released on CD.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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