Common Sense Media Review
Smart and sassy movie, but expect raunchy humor, language.
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Bring It On
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Based on 23 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is enjoyable with great cheerleading scenes and positive messages, though many reviews express concerns about the excessive sexual content and language that may not be suitable for younger audiences. Overall, it seems to resonate well with teens and pre-teens, particularly for sleepovers, despite some criticism of its raunchy humor and stereotypes.
- enjoyable movie
- positive messages
- excessive content
- suitable for teens
- fun for sleepovers
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In BRING IT ON, Kirsten Dunst plays Torrance, whose whole life revolves around competitive cheerleading. She's just been elected captain of her squad, the five-time national champions, and it seems as though her senior year will be everything she dreamed of. But then one girl on the squad is out with a broken leg. And then real disaster strikes: It turns out that their award-winning routines were stolen from another squad, made up of cheerleaders of color led by team captain Isis (Gabrielle Union). Torrance has to face challenges of ethics, leadership, and romance to sort all of this out before nationals.
Is It Any Good?
The film strikes just the right note, respecting Torrance's commitment and sportsmanship, but not taking any of it too seriously. Bring It On's opening and closing cheers are its high points, the first one mocking the cheerleader ideal and the latter accompanying the credits to the classic 1980s song "Mickey" by Toni Basil. In addition, the film's exploration of White appropriation of Black culture—indulged by White performers such as Elvis and Pat Boone—can be an important lesson for teens to think about. It's too bad that this smart and sassy movie includes raunchy humor and crude language, limiting its potential impact on younger viewers. This would've been a terrific movie for kids because it raises important issues while being a lot of fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Bring It On compares with other high school sports films. Is it similar to films that focus on sports competition? Or is the focus mostly on social interaction and romance?
How is the issue of race dealt with in Bring It On? What do you think of how captain Torrance and captain Isis deal with the two teams' conflicts?
How do both Torrance and Isis decide what's important to them? How do they show determination and commitment? What can you learn from their leadership skills?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 25, 2000
- On DVD or streaming : February 13, 2001
- Cast : Gabrielle Union , Jesse Bradford , Kirsten Dunst , Eliza Dushku
- Director : Peyton Reed
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Arts , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : gross humor, sexual references, language
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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