The world of competitive sports is always ripe for the picking when it comes to storytelling. It could be the inherent conflict of competition that makes these stories so compelling, or the wonder of what drives these athletes in their pursuit of perfection that makes audiences hold these films so dear. Director D.W. Waterson’s film, Backspot, takes the audience into the world of competitive cheer in a way that resembles Whiplash and The Novice – but it never manages to get to the same highs as those two films. Still, much of what is here is solid, and the inherent nature of the film makes it easy to get pulled into the lives of the characters.
Riley (Devery Jacobs) puts a lot of pressure on herself to be a great cheerleader. She and her girlfriend, Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo), are selected to try out for the all-star cheer squad with a demanding coach (Evan Rachel Wood). Once on the new team, Riley’s drive for perfection and success elevates, and she begins finding it much harder to manage her life with the increased anxiety.
The similar structure to the plot of Whiplash is apparent in that synopsis. There, Miles Teller’s character gets the chance to play drums for the all-star jazz band with a demanding teacher played by J.K. Simmons. Teller’s character was an already driven and focused musician, but this opportunity and pressure to perform files down his focus to cutting basically everything else but drums from his life. Whiplash has a much more cynical take on this pursuit than Backspot.
The tension is present in Waterson’s film, but not in the same way that Damian Chazelle’s film presents it. Riley, as a character, seems far more conflicted with her goals. The motivation isn’t as clear in the presentation of her character, either. Wood’s character doesn’t seem as demanding or as arrogant. The athletes are pushed to their breaking point at times, but it never feels too big or too extreme by comparison.
The performances in the film do sell the characters’ stress as they navigate decisions that impact their day-to-day lives. This is effectively paired with the cinematography to push the effect. POV shots of the cheerleaders in action, spiraling cameras around characters who are also spiraling, and extreme close-ups of anxious eyebrow plucking all help build the sense of anxiety that Riley is experiencing.
One standout performance is from Thomas Antony Olajide who plays Devon, the assistant coach to Wood’s Eileen. He delivers some of the funniest lines in the film – but also one of the most heartwarming scenes. When the girls first arrive to the Thunderhawks practice, he gets several lines of back-and-forth banter with the three girls. He’s dismissive and slightly mean, but there is a hint of kindness that really breaks out later in the film.
What never really feels established is the real battles between Riley and Eileen. Stories like this often put the main character at odds with the coach. While this is the dynamic in Whiplash (and to some degree the Novice, another film focused on the obsession with perfection), it also reminds of Varsity Blues.
There, the head coach is depicted as a true villain willing to sacrifice his athletes’ well-being for his optimal success. Eileen seems to care, but at the same time, it feels as if she doesn’t. This may be a result of just too many storylines in this film, but Eileen just never seems bad enough. In some ways, it doesn’t feel like that’s what the film is trying to establish, but the way the third act plays out makes it clear that this was supposed to be a driving force of the plot.
While these issues keep the film from being a masterpiece, it doesn’t ruin it by any means. Waterson’s voice comes across, and there is a clear creative intent. The characters the performances are good,, and make the audience invest in the story. Even the message at the end feels unique in this kind of story, and a little more optimistic than many others that have come before. Backspot is worth watching.
Backspot will be in theaters nationwide on May 31.
Rating: Decent Watch
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