This whimsically edgy comedy follows teenager Megan (Natasha Lyonne), whose suburban existence filled with friends, cheerleading, and all-American fun is upended when her straight-laced parents suspect she may be a lesbian. In a panic, they send her to True Directions, a “rehabilitation” camp run by the strict and prudish Mary (Cathy Moriarty), to mount an intervention led by counselor Mike (RuPaul Charles). Megan dutifully follows the program — until she develops feelings for another camper in this timeless, satirical romantic-comedy about self-acceptance and love, costarring Michelle Williams, Clea DuVall, and Julie Delpy.

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Video Quality

Lionsgate presents But I’m A Cheerleader on 4K UHD Blu-Ray exclusively at Amazon with a fantastic 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision/HDR. The film was previously released by the studio on Blu-Ray in 2021 from what appears to be the same source, only now presented fully in glorious 4K UHD. We really enjoyed that look of the original Blu-Ray, which is not included with this new release, but this new presentation brings more nuance out of the picture that fans will appreciate.

The natural film grain thankfully remains intact which reveals a world of discrete texture and clarity. The grain resolves consistently with nothing ever feeling noisy or splotchy. The image has eradicated nearly all potential damage, thanks to the care taken with remastering the image. The unique facets on display in the memorable apparel and within the heightened production design are some of the most favorable elements of this image. This presentation is authentic to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more seamless and true to the world. There are no ugly digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such issues.

The implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR for complex color output elevates things to truly marvelous levels with its depth and nuance. The cinematography of Jules Labarthe is intentionally hypersaturated to match the heightened, satirical nature of the narrative itself. There are tons of eye-searing pink, orange, and blue within the frame at any given moment that beams off the screen with a notable prominence. Highlights are tight with no evidence of blooming in the bright skies. Black levels are steady with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the nighttime scenes when certain characters are “punishing” themselves.. Audiences can now observe more from the shadow detail with outlines properly represented instead of blending into the background. This disc handles every environmental switch with ease. This presentation is a standout effort from the team at Lionsgate.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track and the previous lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 theatrical stereo audio track. While it would have been nice to bump up the theatrical track to a lossless format, it is great to see Lionsgate providing both options for audiences who either want a more sonically expansive experience or prefer to keep things more artistically authentic. Witty dialogue is the star of the show, and every exchange comes through impeccably clear. It balances well with the score from Pat Irwin so nothing gets overshadowed and every note maintains respectable fidelity. Environmental sounds such as chants from the cheer squad hold up well. Lionsgate has hit it out of the park. There do not seem to be any unexpected instances of age-related wear and tear. These tracks provide a listening experience that authentically captures the artistic intent of this talky narrative. Optional English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

This release comes with DigiPack packaging exclusively at Amazon which is quite fetching in person. Video of the release can be found at the top of this review.

Audio Commentary: Director Jamie Babbit, Costume Designer Alix Friedberg, and Production Designer Rachel Kamerman
Beyond the Pink and Blue – A Conversation with Jamie Babbit: A new 12-minute interview with the filmmaker in which she discusses why she wanted to make this film, her feelings about individual cast members, the queer talent on set, the inspiration for the film, the costumes and production design, the reactions to the film, and more.
But I’m A Cheerleader Class Reunion: A 21-minute virtual reunion hosted by Variety with Jamie Babbit, Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Melanie Lynskey, Cathy Moriarty, Douglas Spain, Joel Michaely, Dante Basco, and Katrina Phillips.
Making But I’m A Cheerleader…In 1999: An eight-minute piece that uses vintage interview footage to give valuable insights into the production process.
But I’m A Composer… A Chat with Pat Irwin: A nearly six-minute interview with the composer in which he chats with Jamie Babbit about how they developed certain musical moments in the film.
Student Film – Discharge: A three-minute student film from Jamie Babbit in which a girl is harassed and responds in kind.
Theatrical Trailer (1:52)

Final Thoughts

But I’m A Cheerleader is a smart and hilarious satire that shows the absurdity of “gay panic” in a manner that still feels painfully relevant today. Director Jamie Babbit likewise brings some heart to the story so that these characters can feel genuine even when they are put in absurd situations. The ensemble is perfect from top to bottom as characters both major and minor are given a chance to shine. This has rightfully earned its title as a cult classic. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that sports an amazing A/V presentation and a valuable selection of special features. If you love the movie, this is the ideal way to own it. Highly Recommended

But I’m A Cheerleader is currently available to purchase exclusively at Amazon on 4K UHD Blu-ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.