Bring It On (film)

Bring It On
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peyton Reed
Produced by	Marc Abraham Thomas Bliss
Written by	Jessica Bendinger
Starring	Kirsten Dunst Eliza Dushku Jesse Bradford Gabrielle Union
Music by	Christophe Beck
Cinematography	Shawn Maurer Bruce Deck
Editing by	Larry Bock McKee Smith
Studio	Beacon Pictures Stu Segall Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	August 25, 2000 (2000-08-25)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$28 million
Box office	$68,379,000

Bring It On (known as: Cheers! in Japan) is a 2000 teen comedy film about two competing high school cheerleading squads, starring Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, and Gabrielle Union. It was directed by Peyton Reed and written by Jessica Bendinger. The film was followed by four direct-to-video sequels (none of which contain any of the original cast members), 2004's Bring It On Again (which only shared producers with the original), 2006's Bring It On: All or Nothing, 2007's Bring It On: In It to Win It and 2009's Bring It On: Fight to the Finish.

Plot

Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) has an anxiety dream about her first day of senior year, in which she is naked during cheer practice. Her boyfriend, Aaron (Richard Hillman), has left for college, and her cheerleading squad, known as "The Toros", are aiming for their sixth consecutive national championship title. The team captain, "Big Red" (Lindsay Sloane), is graduating and Torrance is elected to take her place. Shortly after her election, however, a team member, Carver (Bianca Kajlich), is injured and can no longer compete. Torrance replaces her with Missy Pantone (Eliza Dushku), a talented gymnast who recently transferred to the school with her brother, Cliff (Jesse Bradford). Torrance and Cliff quickly develop a flirtatious friendship, although Cliff is unaware that Torrance has a boyfriend.

After watching the Toros practice, Missy recognizes the routines and realizes that they have been copying them from a rival team at her previous high school. Missy drives Torrance to Los Angeles, where they watch the East Compton Clovers cheerleading team perform routines that are virtually identical to the Toros'. Isis (Gabrielle Union), the Clovers' team captain, notices the two Toros and angrily confronts them. Torrance learns that "Big Red" regularly attended the Clovers' practices and videotaped their routines for her own team to practice. Isis informs Torrance of her plans to defeat the Toros at the regional and national championships, which the Clovers have never attended due to their economic hardship.

When Torrance tells the Toros that their routines have been stolen all this time, the team votes in favor of still using the copied routines to win the regional championship. Torrance reluctantly agrees, knowing that rushing to create an original routine could sacrifice their chance of victory. However, at their next home game, Isis and her teammates Lava (Shamari Fears), Jenelope (Natina Reed) and LaFred (Brandi Williams) show up and humiliate them in front of the whole school by performing their own routine. The Toros realize they have no choice but to learn a different routine. In desperation, they employ a professional choreographer named Sparky Polastri, who was suggested by Torrance's boyfriend Aaron.

At Regionals, the team before the Toros performs the exact routine they had been practicing. Because they are next, the team has no choice but to perform the exact same routine. Even with an unoriginal rountine, it is evident that the routine was not even good due to an overuse of cheesy dance moves and their choreographer's obsession with "spirit fingers". After the debacle, Torrance speaks to a competition official and is told their routine was given to several other teams in California. As the defending champions, the Toros are nevertheless granted their place at Finals, but Torrance is warned that a brand new routine will be expected.

Torrance is crushed by her failure to lead the team successfully and considers giving up cheerleading. Cliff encourages and supports Torrance, intensifying their growing attraction. Aaron, however, suggests that she isn't leadership material and recommends that she step down from her position. When Cliff sees Torrance and Aaron together, he is hurt, angry, and severs his friendship with Torrance. Although distressed, Torrance's confidence is renewed by Cliff's encouragement and she convinces her unhappy team to create an innovative new routine instead. She breaks up with Aaron, realizing he is unsupportive and unfaithful, but Cliff still does not forgive her.

Meanwhile, the Clovers are initially unable to compete at Nationals because they were unable to raise the money. This prompts Torrance to get her dad's company to sponsor the Clovers, but Isis rejects the money, knowing that the Clovers are able to get her team to Nationals by appealing to a talk show host who grew up in their area. In finals, the Toros get second place, while the Clovers win. However, Torrance feels no resentment, and she and Isis become friends. The film ends with a kiss between Cliff and Torrance. The end credits show the cast singing and dancing to "Mickey".

Cast

• Kirsten Dunst as Torrance Shipman
• Eliza Dushku as Missy Pantone
• Jesse Bradford as Cliff Pantone
• Gabrielle Union as Isis
• Clare Kramer as Courtney
• Nicole Bilderback as Whitney
• Tsianina Joelson as Darcy
• Rini Bell as Kasey
• Nathan West as Jan
• Huntley Ritter as Leslie
• Shamari Fears as Lava
• Natina Reed as Jenelope
• Brandi Williams as LaFred
• Richard Hillman as Aaron
• Lindsay Sloane as "Big Red"
• Bianca Kajlich as Carver
• Holmes Osborne as Bruce Shipman
• Sherry Hursey as Christine Shipman
• Cody McMains as Justin Shipman
• Ian Roberts as Sparky Polastri

Production

The film included a short glimpse of actual national champions Bishop Blanchet High School Saints (from Seattle) in the scenes at the regional competition and at the nationals.

Reception

Box office

The film earned $17,362,105 in 2,380 theaters in its opening weekend, ranking #1 at the North American box office. Although it had an 18% decline in gross earnings the week after, it earned enough to stay at the top position for another week. The film went on to gross $68,379,000 in the United States and Canada and an additional $22,070,929 in other countries for a total gross of $90,449,929.

The film carries a 64% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus, "Despite the formulaic, fluffy storyline, this movie is surprisingly fun to watch, mostly due to its high energy and how it humorously spoofs cheerleading instead of taking itself too seriously."

The film ranked #30 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies.

2009's Fired Up features a scene where the kids at the cheerleading camp watch a screening of Bring It On and speak the dialogue verbatim as it's being said on screen, a humorous allusion to the film's cult status among cheerleaders.

Critical reception

Cultural historian Maud Lavin says that despite Bring It On's predictable plot, its depiction of aggressive and competitive women, the differences shown between class and race, and the playful way it deals with homophobia gives it deeper cultural clout and meaning. In particular, Lavin says that the film suggests race relations could be "smoothed and transcended through level-playing-field sports competitiveness."

Cultural impact

Sequels

Bring It On has so far spawned a total of four direct-to-video sequels:

• Bring It On Again (2004)
• Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)
• Bring It On: In It to Win It (2007)
• Bring It On: Fight to the Finish (2009)

The only sequel to feature any of the original crew from Bring It On was 2004's Bring It On Again, which shared the film's same producers. These producers did not return for the subsequent sequels, and none of the films share recurring cast members. Original star Eliza Dushku has even been quoted in interviews as never even having been invited to participate in the sequels. Steve Rash also directed two of the sequels. Otherwise, none of the films in the Bring It On franchise share any personnel whatsoever.

The four films that follow Bring It On share only tenuous links with one another. The plot of each film pretty typically follows that of the one originally laid out in the first film of competing cheerleading teams who have to change routines or other elements they had grown accustomed to in order to win. Again and All or Nothing also stylistically referenced the original film in that all three featured outtakes and the cast having fun singing and dancing during the end credit sequence. Bring It On: All or Nothing also referenced the original film by opening with the main character's musical dream sequence. All four of the sequels share the element of the movie starting with the main character having a cheer themed dream that quickly becomes a nightmare.

Though popular with critics, including Roger Ebert who called it the "Citizen Kane" of cheerleading movies, as well as politicians such as then-Senator Barack Obama and New York Governor George Pataki, it was not at the time considered a serious film by critics or audiences. Several of cast members from the Bring It On film franchise have gone on to greater fame or notoriety. Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Gabrielle Union, Jesse Bradford, Clare Kramer, Lindsay Sloane, and several others from the original film were already notable entertainers and television actors or have grown into such roles since their participation in the original film. Bethany Joy Galeotti and Hayden Panettiere, who appeared in Bring It On Again and Bring It On: All or Nothing, also went on to find sizable television audiences due to their roles on the television programmes One Tree Hill and Heroes, respectively. Galeotti also appeared with Michael Copon (who co-starred in In It to Win It) during One Tree Hill's second season. Michael Copon also starred in Power Rangers Time Force The R&B/Pop trio Blaque have a recurring role in "Bring It On". Noteworthy R&B singer and film actress Christina Milian also appears as the main character in Fight to the Finish.

Outside of the United States, American-style cheerleading is sometimes referred to as Bring It On-style cheerleading.

Stage musical

A stage version of the film premiered at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia on January 16, 2011. The musical has music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt, lyrics by Amanda Green, and a book by Jeff Whitty. The director and choreographer is Andy Blankenbuehler, with a cast that includes Amanda LaVergne as Campbell, Adrienne Warren as Danielle, and Nick Blaemire as Randall and "award-winning competitive cheerleaders from across the country". A national tour of the musical started at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, in November 2011 through December 10, 2011 and then travels to San Francisco, Denver and Houston. The national tour stars Taylor Louderman as Campbell and Jason Gotay as Randall. The cast took part in a special celebration kicking off the national tour of the musical on October 22, 2011, which featured performances from the show.

External links

• Bring It On at the Internet Movie Database
• Bring It On at AllRovi
• Bring It On at Box Office Mojo
• Bring It On at Rotten Tomatoes
• Bring It On at Metacritic
• Interview with Peyton Reed about the film
• Bring It On filming locations