‘Backspot’ Review: Devery Jacobs Lifts Cheerleading Drama to Greater Heights | TIFF 2023

The pursuit of greatness, for all the fulfillment it can bring when achieved, is a painful one. You can give so much of yourself that, by the time you find yourself at your goal, digging deeper under the sense of victory may uncover an emptiness settling in at your core. This emotional push and pull is at the heart of writer-director D.W. Waterson’s feature debut Backspot which places itself in a long cinematic tradition of films about the costs of ambition itself. In this case, it is the aspirations of a young woman who wants to rise to the highest levels of competitive cheer. Riley, played by the dynamic Devery Jacobs of the small miracle of television that is Reservation Dogs, brings plenty of talent and passion to this pursuit though also struggles with anxiety. With the intense training already physically and mentally draining on its own, captured in consistently disorienting handheld sequences, she’ll have to outwardly contend with a frequently cruel new coach just as she does with her own internal struggles.

The film is a solid if frequently slight coming-of-age drama that reaches greater heights with the performance of Jacobs as she traces the fault lines beginning to form in the life of her character. Even as it often stumbles, she keeps it all on its feet. The film, co-written by Joanne Sarazen, fits into that sweet spot of storytelling that, while familiar in some regards, also does most of what it is trying to do rather well. Expanding from Waterston’s short of the same name, the film takes place almost primarily in the brightly lit training facility where Riley has just been brought on to compete with the elite squad. Known as the Thunderhawks, they are overseen by Evan Rachel Wood’s positively terrifying coach Eileen whose stare feels like it could cut through steel if she wanted it to. At times, it almost feels like she is conjuring up the same imposing energy that she captured so completely in the series Westworld which she then turns towards the young team here. As Riley tries to deal with this added pressure, she isn’t alone as her girlfriend Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo) is also on the team with her. The two share many delightful scenes singing in the car, where they drown out the music itself, which offer small respites from the rest of the world that starts to wear them down.

Jacobs Is Spectacular in ‘Backspot’

Through it all, Jacobs proves to be a confident presence in what is a challenging part. She must embody the realities of anxiety that threaten to overwhelm Riley and lead to her picking away at her eyebrows while also not letting this subsume all of who she is. Even as some of the scenes in the family settings outside of practice feel less fully realized, just observing the way she interacts with people ends up speaking volumes about her world. Just as was the case so often the case in Reservation Dogs, she is the foundation of the experience. However, where that is more of an ensemble, she gets to take center stage here and rises to the occasion. When in her hands, it often feels like it is operating on a level on par with a film like last year’s Girl Picture. Each, while quite different in presentation with this being a little more scattered stylistically, captures the small details of youthful uncertainty in a way that most other films overplay and ultimately miss the mark on. In Backspot, there is an understated yet still arresting authenticity to the way Jacobs carries a scene. Whether it is when she does her own stunts or captures the internal struggles of the character, it helps to smooth over some of the other parts where the film feels like it is stumbling around just a bit.

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This is felt in one particular scene early on where Riley and Amanda get a piece of information about their coach that is delivered with a bluntness that draws attention to itself immediately. Rather than feel like it was a confession in a moment of frustration that will organically come into play later, the way the conversation is paced makes this divulging of information feel contrived. It doesn’t drag down the experience too much, but it does stick out in the mind especially when many of the later dramatic developments hinge on it. Even the ones that don’t can often come across as a little undercooked. This is a shame as many of them are quite interesting and unexpected, drawing us into small moments of connection that are juxtaposed with the coldness of the competitive world Riley becomes wrapped up in. That this leads to a conflict between her and Amanda, who is concerned about the impact of getting hurt while being less financially stable, where the latter fades into the background means we also start to feel that connection fraying just a bit. While somewhat intentional, there is still a sense we are losing sight of some of the character moments in favor of a few broader contrivances.

‘Backspot’ Ends on a High Note

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Missteps aside, the way it recovers in the ending ensures it sticks the landing. In particular, there is one needle drop that started as a throwaway line though gets brought back for a closing joke that is as hilarious as it is biting. Where other elements can feel a bit too neat and tidy, this more audacious big swing kicks it up a notch. When we are then brought back down to Earth, Jacobs guides us to the earned finish line. Through her committed performance and some punchy camera work, we are taken into the mind of Riley so completely that it can be a bit of a disorienting trip while still making every second soar when it counts.

Rating: B

Backspot had its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.