Backspot Review: Devery Jacobs Commands This Complex, Queer, Cheerleading Coming-Of-Age Drama

The number of movies about gifted youngsters sacrificing the traditional teen experience in favor of artistic perfection or academic excellence is immeasurable. "Stick It" peered into the world of Olympic hopeful gymnastics, "Whiplash" pulled back the curtain of elite musicianship, and "Bring It On" turned the world of competitive cheerleading into one of the greatest teen films ever made. This is all to say, coming-of-age stories in this territory are well-tread, so finding a way to stand out among so many all-time greats is a massive undertaking. Fortunately, for D.W. Waterson's directorial feature film debut, "Backspot," this stylish, unapologetically queer look at the world of All-Star Cheerleading (not to be confused with high school cheerleading) is a soaring breath of fresh air.

Written by Joanne Sarazen, "Reservation Dogs" star Devery Jacobs commands the tale as star cheerleader Riley, who is given the opportunity to audition for the elite competitive squad, The Thunderhawks. Making the team would mean completely dedicating her life to the sport (more than she already has), but she luckily makes the squad along with her girlfriend Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo) and their friend Rachel (Noa DiBerto). Joining the Thunderhawks is a dream come true, and Riley is thrilled to discover her hardass new coach Eileen McNamara (Evan Rachel Wood) is also queer.

But her quest for perfection is tested with the Thunderhawks because being a big fish in a small pond is no longer enough for Riley to be the best, and her desperate need for external validation threatens to destroy everything non-Cheerleading in her life. No amount of motivational signs adorning the gym walls or glittery eye shadow can distract from the bruises, fractures, or mat rash that are required to be the best.

"Backspot" walks a delicate line between traditional teen fare and an adult-centric drama, which is precisely the intersection Riley inhabits. When she and her girlfriend Amanda share the screen outside of the gym, it feels like the story "Bend it Like Beckham" would have been if it were allowed to be canonically queer. The always wonderful Shannyn Sossamon is a great addition as Riley's straight-laced mother, but in typical teen movie fashion,, we don't get as much time with her as some viewers might like. But that's because it's not about those who orbit Riley, it's about Riley, and the way Waterson displays her interior life is one of the strongest parts of the film. 

There's a frenetic, intense energy to the camera movements of the physical demands of cheerleading, but that's par for the course in a post-"Stick It" world. Waterson takes a similar stance toward all of Riley's emotions, with swirling, romantic bliss when Riley and Amanda have intimate scenes. Or there's the anxious, invasive portrayal of her trichotillomania, obsessively isolating the action of picking at her eyebrow hair in extreme close-ups. This stylish approach intertwines Riley's external presentation with her true feelings, a fascinating bit of commentary on the way we are always, always curating the face we allow the world to see. We're constantly performing in the competition of life, and we seldom let anyone know just how hard it can be to get by.

Waterson elects not to hide the pools of sweat or imperfections hidden beneath the well-worn tropes of determination and ambition, but the script adds in a bevy of story threads seldom explored. Riley and Amanda are a biracial queer couple where neither woman is white. Riley has a queer role model in Eileen, who is herself an intense mess of a human being. Riley's dad may or may not be emotionally abusive, but Riley doesn't have time to really explore any of this, because she's got training to do.

Much of "Backspot" is centered on Riley's time at the gym — training, competing, or recovering from it all. Sometimes it feels like Riley's story, and the stories of those in her periphery, are being neglected to focus on cheerleading ... but that's exactly what Riley's life is like.

We're given small glimpses of those around her, like assistant coach Devon (Thomas Antony Olajide) hanging out in a gay club, but the film doesn't allow us to see the full lives of any of the other characters. Which I believe is precisely the point. From the ages of 4-22, my life was dedicated to the world of elite competitive baton twirling. When I look back at my teenage years, sleepovers, dates, and time spent, well, being a teenager, are somewhat of a blur. I have snapshot memories of what was going on in the lives of those around me, while my endless hours in the gym are frozen in amber. I also don't remember the details of going to the arcade with my girlfriend in the summer, but my body still remembers what it felt like when my teammate pushed me down into the splits.

The decision to explore Riley's journey in this way has the potential to seem underwritten or unexplored, but for anyone who has come of age in a similar environment — which by design, is not many people — "Backspot" is more recognizable than anything John Hughes ever made. Even the queerness in this film is presented as a fact of life rather than a defining plot point, which requires an adjustment for viewers used to LGBTQIA+ themes reserved for dramatic fodder.

I don't expect casual fans to understand the intricacies of cheerleading, but the backspot is the most important role in a cheerleading stunt group, even if they're not given the same spotlight. Think of them like the drummer in a band setting the tempo or the stage manager in a production keeping everything from flying off the rails. The backspot can save a stunt if a flyer or base doesn't have the strength and is the de facto leader of the direction a stunt moves. They're also responsible for keeping the flyer's head protected on the way down — a literal life-or-death responsibility. Riley being a backspot is intrinsic to this story functioning as well as it does because we're constantly seeing the world through Riley's eyes. Just like a backspot mid-stunt, her perspective dictates the group's direction, and Riley's decisions impact every person in her life.

And just as important as pulling it all off, Riley needs to make sure it all looks effortless. Plaster on a smile. Widen your eyes. Remember your vowels when mouthing to the crowd. No matter how hard things get, how tired you feel, how broken you become ... if you're not making it look easy, you're not doing it right. It's all just too much for any of us to live up to, and yet for Riley, it's all she's ever known. Watching her find the balance is riveting, and a testament to both D.W. Waterson's directorial eye and Devery Jacobs' immense talent.

/Film Rating: 7 out of 10

"Backspot" opens in theaters nationwide and On Demand May 31, 2024.