MovieChat Forums > But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) Discussion > Does nobody else see beyond the humor in...

Does nobody else see beyond the humor in this film?

posted 16 years ago by sarahberkouwer
30 replies | jump to latest

Ok, yes, so this movie is very funny in over-doing all the aspects of femininity and masculinity - the whole pink/blue contrasts, men chopping wood and fixing cars, women cleaning the floor and wearing bridal dresses.

But much more than that I think this movie is about the absurdist society we live in. This movie clearly shows two people in love, but we have created institutions and beliefs like this 'rehabilitation house' (a representation of how we isolate homosexuals from our society). This movie acknowledges and criticizes our society for expecting that all women are completely subordinate and housewife-like, and that all men love cars and are big and muscular. Which should just not be.

And plus, the way that this movie stereotypes gays and lesbians (in a completely non-realistic way) mirrors our ignorant views of them. It shows that in our society, when somebody says the word lesbian or gay, they automatically think of a person like those portrayed in the film. Most people don't realize that gays and lesbians are completely normal people too, the only thing different is their sexual preference which is ultimately but a very small part of their lives.

I hope that this movie resonates on that level with all the LGBT haters (or dislikers) to show them how absurd THEY are.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] THESTARCHILD_90 16 years ago

I love what you wrote. I completely agree. Aside from being a funny movie, I also find it to be a very beautiful movie. A story about how you can never really change who you are, and that being true who you are is a gift to the world, all ignorance and stereotypes aside. The way this film expresses love is also first rate.

[–] croydontemp 16 years ago

completly agree, this film is so underated. Not only is it so hilarous, in a blatant take the piss way, it also has strong messages aswell. i cant believe places like true directions might exist, it should be burnt down not only for its homophobia but more for its sexism!

"you'd shoot me if you had the chance wouldnt you?"
"with a big *beep* smile on my face."

[–] ToddyEnglish 16 years ago

The scene that really got to me is when The Cheerleader's parents told her, flatly, that she would not be welcome back into their house if she didn't graduate from the house. That really jarred me because I went through a similiar experience.

The funny thing is...She never even came out. They just assumed she was a lesbian and had her taken away to that place.

The overt humor was hilarious. And I loved the satirical nature. But underneath it all it was quite sad...maybe because it resonated with me so much, on a personal level. Excellent post by the OP.

I need Jesus like a starving lion needs a vegetarian platter

[–] sarahberkouwer 16 years ago

"The funny thing is...She never even came out. They just assumed she was a lesbian and had her taken away to that place. "

Exactly! The main character started off at the beginning of the movie with a boyfriend. And even if she was a lesbian then, she didn't know what it was and probably would never have realized it and thus lived her whole life liking men.

But the irony in the movie is that the institution it made this girl realize that she was a lesbian, thereby defeating every purpose :)

[–] ljr-x25 16 years ago

Actually I think she would have eventually realised when she couldn't/wouldn't have sex with a guy-the parents just hurried the proces.

I'm Bi so what!

[–] vlfranklin1999 16 years ago

I totally agree with you. This movie is not only funny, but it has meaning on so many levels.
I do have to say though, if my boyfriends kissed like that, I think I would end up gay too. :)That was just nasty! If you have to towel off after a kiss...

[–] catherinefeuille 16 years ago

I didn't think this movie was all that funny in the first place. It made me cry! lol. The point of the movie definitely wasn't the humor. It was a very clever social commentary.

[–] obscure_note 16 years ago

Ok, yes, so this movie is very funny in over-doing all the aspects of femininity and masculinity - the whole pink/blue contrasts, men chopping wood and fixing cars, women cleaning the floor and wearing bridal dresses.

But much more than that I think this movie is about the absurdist society we live in. This movie clearly shows two people in love, but we have created institutions and beliefs like this 'rehabilitation house' (a representation of how we isolate homosexuals from our society). This movie acknowledges and criticizes our society for expecting that all women are completely subordinate and housewife-like, and that all men love cars and are big and muscular. Which should just not be.

Well the concept of gender is absurd in the first place. So yes, the movie poked at society's absurdity, not only at how society treats homosexuality but how it categorizes people and put them into boxes marked 'masculine' and 'feminine'.

[–] psychfan21 14 years ago

Exactly. I didn't really see much funniness in the film, but a great deal of irony, in just how wrong these religions zealots and some unfortunate people are. If we can just move past hetero and homosexual, what is masculine and feminine, we can see each other at the core for who we are. To say MOST people think this, or MOST of this kind of people do that...it's a bunch of BS. It's up to each person to define who they are, seperate from any group or label, because there isn't any ONE word that could ever tell you who someone is as a person.

"You should have a degree in being wrong...all the time!" ~ Shawn Spencer

[–] chaz-maas 16 years ago

I didn't really watch this movie as a comedy, I watched it as an Indie Film...so I was noticing this stuff the entire way through.

It's a great movie, especially when you know alot more about the LGBT community outside of the movie. But yah, if people watch this movie and take it as a face value comedy...there is SO much being lost on them.

[–] pennywishes4u 16 years ago

I totally agree with everyone here. I watched this film for my sociology class and, while it's certainly funny, we focused more on the ideas of gender stereotypes and prejudice. I was especially caught by the female character with the mohawk like hair, who is characterized as a lesbian becasue she feels more comfortable in baggy-clothes, we discussed the fact that not only have we made 'masculine' and 'feminine' categories, but we've demanded that if one sex picks up traits from the category opposite to the "norm" than they must fall into the homosexual category, which just goes on to create homosexual stereotypes. people forget that we ALL have feminine and masculine elements and those elements are in many ways detached from our sexual orientation.

[–] Defenseman13 16 years ago

Congratulations. You win a cookie. Sorry, that is what the movie is about, it's not that complicated.

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm2339870/

[–] sktELEMENT 16 years ago

In all honesty it makes me sick that society has to struggle to achieve what this movie is about, why is everyone so afraid of homosexuals? To disown your son or daughter because of it?...haha,

Coming from a guy straight as a bullet might I add...or am I a fag for writing this? hahahaha

[–] thedoctor856 14 years ago

Straight? So's spaghetti, until you heat it up!

Eric

"Cinema is an evil force. Its point is to exert control over people and events." - Kenneth Anger

[–] ajp2223 7 years ago

A few years late but I believe there is a joke to that...!

Q, Why are straight men like spaghetti?

A, Get them to the boil and watch them bend!