Film Review – Backspot

Going against the tone set by “Bring It On” and its various imitators, director D.W. Waterson looks to bring intensity back to the cheerleading movie. “Backspot” is a Canadian production examining the pressures facing young women as they deal with physical challenges, mental breaks, and the brutality of competition. It focuses on the journey of an athlete fighting to balance her need to impress and the slow erosion of her emotional health, receiving a special shot to prove herself in the big times of high school cheerleading. “Backspot” doesn’t ignore the demands of the sport and the toughness of its coaches, with Waterson attempting to put viewers into the pressure cooker environment, exploring how such intensity wears down the spirit of the main character. It’s an intimate offering of drama, with screenwriter Joanne Sarazen (“Tammy’s Always Dying”) successfully getting close to personalities and difficulties, making for an interesting sit. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com