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.





