Movies
Bring It On (2000, Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku)
San Diego’s Rancho Carnie High School’s football team are one of the worst in the state, but the cheerleading squad are the best, winning five consecutive national championships. Now new cheerleader captain Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) is going for number six until new member Missy Pantone (Eliza Dushku) takes her aside and breaks some bad news. Their award-winning routine was stolen by the ex-captain from a rival school who are also going to be at the national championships, giving Torrance just weeks to whip her team into shape with a new routine or face humiliation once the ‘theft’ is exposed…
Peyton Reed’s feature debut is an unashamed frothy teenage comedy, but his experience as a TV director sees it crack along at speed, helped by Jessica Bendinger’s sharp script, which is full of zingy one-liners, putdowns and sight-gags to match the action. Dunst, who has proved herself an actress of range (from the dramatic Virgin Suicides to the recent comedy Wimbledon ) gives an outstanding performance while Dushku, outstanding in Soul Survivor and Wrong Turn, also proves she can play feisty comedy.
Jesse Bradford plays the eye candy love interest for the female audience and, while the film never pretends to be overly serious, it’s an object lesson to directors and writers everywhere that top-notch lightweight fun doesn’t come without the sort of sweat and tears Torrance and her team go through.
production details
USA | 98 minutes | 2000
Director: Peyton Reed
Writer: Jessica Bendinger
cast
Daniella Kuhn as T.V. Reporter
Gabrielle Union as Isis
Holmes Osborne as Bruce Shipman
Nicole Bilderback as Whitney
Jesse Bradford as Cliff Pantone
Peyton Reed as Mime
Eliza Dushku as Missy Pantone
Rini Bell as Kasey
Riley Smith as Guy Cheerleader
Kirsten Dunst as Torrance Shipman
Huntley Ritter as Les
Clare Kramer as Courtney
Tsianina Joelson as Darcy
Nathan West as Jan
Shamari Fears as Lava
Natina Reed as Jenelope
Richard Hillman as Aaron
Lindsay Sloane as Big Red
Brandi Williams as Lafred
Bianca Kajlich as Carver
Sherry Hursey as Christine Shipman
Cody McMains as Justin Shipman
Ian Roberts as Sparky Polastri
David E. Taylor as Toros Tight End
Ashley Howard as Toros Quarterback
Nikole Lee Amateau as New Pope Cheerleader #1
Clementine Ford as New Pope Cheerleader #2
Grant Thompson as Costa Mesa Quarterback
Leonard Clifton as Cosa Mesa Linebacker
Marie Cole as Argumentative Girl
Dru Mouser as Been-Crying-For-Hours Girl
Tracy Pacheco as Rappin’ White Girl
Alicia Michelle Sassano as Be Aggressive Girl
Natasha Soll as Start-Over Girl
Ryan Drummond as Theatre Boy
Paullin Wolfe as Tiny Tot Cheerleader
David E. Willis as Emcee #1
Beth LaMure as Emcee #2
Anne Fletcher as Event Coordinator
Doug Waldo as UCA Official
Annie Hinton as High-Strung Mom
Louise Gallagher as Class Monitor
Edmond Clay as Football Announcer
Aloma Wright as Pauletta
Paul Bloom as T.V. Commentator
Melanie Atmadja as Jamie
Jodi Harris as Cheer Coach
Nectar Rose as Nervous Cheerleader
Elizabeth Johnson as Confident Cheerleader
Carla Mackauf as Aaron’s Lover
Anna Lisa Mendiola as Clover Cheerleader
Greg Benoit as High School Student
Alex Ferguson as Photographer
Ruby Gonzalez as Student
Lisel M. Gorell as New Pope Cheerleader
Brandon Henschel as Ballet Boy
Kenyetta Lethridge as Clover Cheerleader
Rob Marrocco Jr. as New Pope Cheerleader
Michael McCafferty as Pervy Earth Science Teacher
Hilary Angelo as Toothless Cheerleader