Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Watch

Loading streaming options...

Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a 25-year-old teen cheerleading movie, and yet somehow it's more watchable than half the stuff Netflix churns out today. The secret? It actually has something to say.

Buried under the spirit fingers and backflips is a surprisingly direct story about cultural appropriation, plagiarism, and class divides. When new captain Torrance discovers her championship squad built their reputation on routines stolen from an underfunded Black school across town, she actually has to grapple with what to do about it. The movie doesn't let her off easy—there are real consequences and uncomfortable conversations.

Yes, there's sexual innuendo. Yes, there's early-2000s cringe. Yes, the fashion is... a time capsule. But the bones are solid: teamwork, accountability, athletic dedication, and a surprisingly frank look at how privilege and resources create unequal playing fields. Plus, it's genuinely entertaining with quotable lines that have entered the cultural lexicon.

It's not going to change anyone's life, but for a PG-13 teen comedy, it's got more substance than it has any right to have. Your middle schooler will probably enjoy it, and you won't want to gouge your eyes out watching it with them.

Age Fit

Best for ages 12-13+ due to sexual innuendo and teen themes. It's a teen movie through and through, but not one that adults will hate watching with their kids. The cheerleading spectacle and snappy dialogue keep it entertaining enough that it works for family movie night with middle schoolers.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

68

Models teamwork, accountability, and making things right after discovering wrongdoing. The protagonist takes responsibility for her team's stolen routines and works to fix it. However, there's cattiness, competitive meanness, and some sexual innuendo that keeps it from being fully wholesome. The tone is generally upbeat and the relationships, while sometimes contentious, ultimately lean toward cooperation.

Imaginative

58

Offers a creative look at competitive cheerleading as an athletic art form, which was relatively fresh for 2000. The choreography and routines show inventiveness. However, it's a fairly formulaic underdog sports story with predictable rom-com beats. It doesn't invite much creative expression from viewers beyond maybe inspiring some to try cheerleading.

Safe

72

PG-13 territory with sexual innuendo, some mild language, and teen party scenes, but no graphic content. Common Sense Media rates it 13+. There's cheerleading in sports bras/uniforms that could feel objectifying, some crude humor, and references to teen sexuality, but nothing shocking or traumatic. No violence, gore, or genuinely scary content. It's pretty much what you'd expect from a teen comedy of this era.

Enriching

62

Tackles cultural appropriation and plagiarism head-on, showing consequences and the importance of originality and giving credit. Addresses class and race dynamics between suburban and inner-city schools with some nuance for a teen comedy. Shows athletic dedication and the hard work behind cheerleading. However, it's primarily entertainment with these themes as backdrop rather than deep exploration. The ethical lesson is clear but not particularly sophisticated.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Actually tackles cultural appropriation and intellectual property theft in a teen-accessible way—the whole plot is about a white suburban team stealing routines from a Black inner-city school
Shows cheerleading as a legitimate athletic pursuit requiring creativity, teamwork, and serious physical skill
Kirsten Dunst's character learns accountability and humility, modeling how to make things right after benefiting from someone else's work
Genuinely quotable and fun with decent energy that hasn't aged as badly as many early-2000s teen comedies
The romance subplot is actually pretty minimal and doesn't overtake the sports/friendship story

⚠

What to Watch For

PG-13 sexual innuendo throughout—references to 'male cheerleaders being gay,' suggestive choreography, locker room talk, and a scene where someone walks in on teens making out
Some mild language and a teen party with implied drinking
Competitive cattiness and mean-girl dynamics, though they're called out and resolved
Early-2000s fashion and some dated slang that might feel cringey to modern teens

Conversation Starters

"The whole team had been performing stolen routines without knowing it. Do you think they should still get to keep their previous championships?"
"Why do you think the Toros' previous captain stole the routines instead of creating her own? What does that say about pressure to win?"
"The movie shows how the Clovers didn't have the same resources as the Toros. How does money affect who gets opportunities in sports or other activities?"
"Torrance could have just ignored the problem and kept competing with the stolen routines. Why do you think she chose to face it instead?"

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Bring It On