Everyone’s favourite cheer movie is growing up. With its release in 2000, this year marks the 20th birthday of Bring It On — so what better time to talk about it.
With Netflix’s new series Cheer taking over worldwide, those outside the cheer sphere now have a glimpse into what life as a high school cheerleader really looks like. And — big surprise — there are some things the fictional movie got wrong about real-life cheerleading.
While there are moments in Bring It On that ring true for all cheerleaders (the competition, the stress) the real-world athletes have long noted inaccuracies in the movie.
First of all, the spirit fingers in Bring It On are a little much — even for the most well-versed cheerleader. On top of that, the choreography is usually created by a professional coach, cheerleader or dancer, throwing a wrench in the entire premise of the movie. Most notably, however, is a mistake that has been bothering cheerleaders since the movie was released: The moves are illegal.
The director of Bring It On has since discussed the topic — as it’s something he’s heard time and time again from those on the inside. “There are some collegiate moves in there that are not high school moves… that would probably be disqualified,” he told the Huffington Post.
“At the time, when we were making the movie, if one of these things came up, we erred on the side of what works dramatically or what worked best for us visually. And yes, there have been some people who’ve been up in arms for almost decades now.”
As much fun as they might be to watch, we’re sorry to shatter the illusion: The routines in Bring It On never would’ve won at nationals — or in any other high school competition for that matter. That doesn’t mean we’re not still obsessed, though. And despite the critics who’ve been quick to point out the flaw over the years, the movie still holds a special place in the hearts of cheerleaders and non-cheerleaders alike for its story and depiction of cheerleading in a new light.