Not long into Backspot when three cheerleaders go out partying to celebrate their graduation to a new highly prestige team, another girl who meets them comments bluntly on what she perceives to be the very superficial notions of competitive cheerleading, outright identifying it as ‘not a real sport’. This assessment particularly angers one of the cheerleaders Riley (Devery Jacobs), who responds with a fairly passionate and well-articulated argument that cheerleading is about the action more than the looks. And yet it’s clear she doesn’t fully believe in her own words, and thus spends the rest of the movie desperately trying to live up to them, pushed to it by a coach as obsessive as she is.
Backspot is the feature debut of D.W. Waterson, adapted from their 2017 short film of the same name. And it is set in this very niche world of competitive cheerleading where it tells a generally familiar story of intense athletic determination and the personal ramifications of it. It also very openly expresses this against a backdrop of queer identity -few if any of the characters are straight- and how cheerleading might intersect with that. It is a humble movie, but one that makes the most of its resources -the strongest being Jacobs herself.
She is a naturally compelling actress, and challenges herself physically in the role of Riley, an eager if subtly insecure cheerleader in some (presumably Canadian) city, in a relationship with fellow cheerleader Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo). Cheerleading has always been a fun exercise for them, but once in the ostensible big leagues under the authority of a seemingly grounded but rigorously disciplined coach Eileen (Evan Rachel Wood), they are confronted with a mounting sense of pressure that Riley blindly embraces while Amanda grows sceptical of.
The dynamic between the two as this gradual rift takes shape is a worthy subject to explore, and Waterson realizes it, but isn't able to shape the storytelling of that relationship in an organic way. They get off on a poor start: an early montage sequence designed to showcase the affectionate romance between Riley and Amanda is overtly clumsy in its efforts to seem natural and relatable -and is so brazen in its function on top of this that it feels as though Waterson doubts the tenets of their own story, or even the audience's ability to recognize a queer relationship otherwise. There are other sequences and bits of dialogue through the movie charged with a conspicuous bluntness that emphasizes this filmmaker's novice status, and aspects of pacing suggestive of growing pains in the transition of short to feature.
But the general story is still executed alright, even if it does ultimately take the shape of a less intense version of Whiplash, with focus more directed at the student than the teacher. Eileen, who initially seems cool and approachable, does turn out to be far more hardlined and stubborn, fuming at girls who don't quite get an action or bit of choreography right. And on Riley especially, she imparts her bitter and toxic philosophy on both athleticism and life. Wood plays the part with no sensitivity (except for a visceral reaction to the song "Come On Eileen"), and while her vitriol isn't inordinately violent, it feels more real because of this.
More often though, the impact of her character is felt through Riley, and in conjunction with Riley's own compulsiveness and insecurities. And Jacobs plays this cocktail impeccably. It has traces of the kinds of material she's played previously -most notably on Reservation Dogs- but with the added demands of tense physical exertion. The cheerleaders for the most part appear to be doing their own stunts, and I appreciate that Jacobs and Rutendo didn't necessarily buff up for the roles, better conveying this sense of ordinary girls engaged in a hobby that by chance spirals into something incredibly serious. And it makes their efforts come off all the more gruelling.
All the while Jacobs gives a highly internalized performance of a girl somewhat disconnected and deluded by her own somewhat aimless obsession. She has a very terse relationship with her mother, played by Shannyn Sossamon, and very easily and uncritically latches onto Eileen as an inspirational figure. She is an ideal candidate for Eileen to groom into a soulless athletic drone -she certainly can withstand more than several of her teammates; and her arc is in learning not to follow Eileen’s example and practice her athleticism as she sees fit. It’s acted wonderfully, which makes up for some of its vacant writing.
Wrapped up in that theme of course is the queer context and an applicable coded message for queer youth, who I suspect this movie is most aimed at. It’s a lighter film in its approach to that same subject matter as Whiplash, not at all traumatizing; and it puts a very positive and optimistic spin on its ending, even where Eileen is concerned. And the queerness is just treated in-text as a fact of their world. Outside the text though there is something of a queer eye applied by Waterson. There are of course the intimate scenes I referred to earlier, but also the manner in which Waterson shoots the cheerleaders in practice -focusing in on their bodies in positions of unusual strength and energy, even their broad make-up, the unconventionally feminine. And I’d be remiss not to mention the queer club the disrespected ‘mean gay’ assistant coach Devon (Thomas Antony Olajide) is found to be working at, and which is the crux of Riley’s moral climax. Queer people taking care of each other in crisis is a vital point.
Backspot still has its issues of poor structure, with components like a background arc for Riley’s mother not doing anything to really develop that relationship; and there’s a couple awkward extended sequences set at Amanda’s place of work -a Cineplex theatre, complete with official uniform, standard theatre aesthetic, a close-up of her filling a popcorn bag. I understand it may have been necessary for some of the film’s funding, but it’s one of the more distracting bits of corporate advertising I’ve seen in a movie. And Waterson’s filmmaking can have a tendency towards the bland when this is a story that seems to demand a certain threshold of style.
It ends on a pretty visually coordinated note though, a scene that once more celebrates the cheerleading sport. The ultimate endgame of the movie for various characters is a bit too easy -for Eileen especially. The point Waterson is making with it is nice, but not fully supported by the movie preceding. Still, it makes for an interesting exercise, a distinct enough vision of competitive obsession, and it allows Jacobs to give another strong and subtle performance of sharp vulnerability -and that alone is worth cheering on.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JordanBosch
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jordan_D_Bosch
Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/jbosch
Comments
Post a Comment