Written by Andreas Babiolakis

Warning: The following review is of a film that is part of TIFF 2023 and may contain spoilers for Backspot. Reader discretion is advised.

DJ and musician D. W. Waterson is ready for the film world. After the success of their web series, That’s My DJ, it was only a matter of time that they would drop a feature-length film. Unlike many other new ventures from established visionaries, Waterson actually goes all in — like they always do — with their debut motion picture, Backspot: a tumultuous, frenzied look at competitive cheerleading through the eyes of perfectionist Riley (played by Devery Jacobs of Reservation Dogs fame who also gives her all here). In short, Backspot feels like Black Swan if it was directed by Emerald Fennell. It is all about practice to the point of self-destruction, but Backspot is also much more positive, hopeful, colourful, and proudly queer. If you want a motion picture that will send you to the depths of desperation, maybe head elsewhere. If you want to see perseverance through tribulation, Backspot has got you covered.

Riley is the titular position of her cheerleading squad (where she spots high fliers and ensures their safety) alongside girlfriend Amanda (Kudakwashe Rutendo). They are on the same team as Rachel (Noa Diberto) and all three cheerleaders have passed the tryouts to be a part of the Thunderhawks: a superstar squad coached by Eileen McNamara (Evan Rachel Wood). Without ever really getting into her backstory, we can sense an entire history within Eileen’s stoicalness; perhaps she has been down this path of competitive cheerleading before and has become immune to most forms of pain. She is gruff and difficult to answer to, but Riley sees the opportunity to challenge both herself and her new coach via this abrasiveness. This causes a rift between Riley and her girlfriend, as well as her other peers. Riley wants to reach the top and will do whatever is necessary to fulfill this quest.

Riley is also harmful to herself. She continuously plucks out eyebrow hairs as a bad habit and pushes herself towards levels of pain. She experiences the typical wounds of any competitive sport, including blisters and bruises, but she also goes many steps further and gets quite hurt in other ways. With the powerful hints Backspot provides us through the injuries of other cheerleaders, we can see where Riley may be heading: from having the wind knocked out of her, to suffering a concussion. How far is Riley willing to go? Will she lose all of her friends and loved ones? Will she permanently hurt herself? For the first two acts of Backspot, anything can happen.

This leads to one storyline that also has hints of promise but never quite gets to where I wish it would: Riley’s relationship with her mother, played tenderly by Shannyn Sossamon. There’s tension between the two with an extra garnish of Riley’s father’s presence (who we only see from afar in one scene for a brief moment, as he watches television nearby), but we never really get into why this is. Perhaps Riley is hard on herself and, as a result, on those around her and her mom receives the brunt end of this, or there is some family history that got left on the cutting room floor. Waterson did bring up how they approached this film via what they know about pacing through DJing and being a drummer, and Backspot does zip by and carry a pulse throughout its runtime. I wish there was a little more here because this could have been the most interesting story of them all. Jacobs and Sossamon are wonderful together and you can feel the discomfort in the room between the two early on. My favourite moment of the entire film is when Riley finally sees her mom as a person and an equal and has a heart-to-heart with her as if she is her mother’s own backspot. There could have been an even bigger payoff with some proper narrative building here, but even this alone is a beautiful moment that reminded me of my own relationship with my mom when I was young. We often forget that our parents are just people too and need to be seen when they devote their entire lives to overseeing us. Riley’s mom is seen, and so is every mother in this sequence. I would have loved to have seen more of her nonetheless.

Riley also develops a relationship with Eileen’s assistant coach, played by Thomas Antony Olajide who is also in need of being seen for who he is. Without giving too much away, it is this character that opens Riley’s eyes to how much she is shutting out everyone else. What is cheerleading if it is no longer fun? If Riley no longer treats herself or others like human beings? Does she really want to be like Eileen: all distant and angry? She’s got some serious soul-searching to do and she does so. Despite how quickly Backspot moves, this change of heart does feel believable because Waterson knows how to keep a vibe or mood going. They also know how to pick actors that make the most of their characters. From Jacobs’ dynamic Riley and Wood’s mysteriously stern Eileen to Sossamon’s empathetic performance and Olajide’s layered dynamics, Backspot is full of actors who could have all had their own feature films because of how much life and nuance they bring to their respective roles.

Waterson listened to Riley’s cautionary tale while making Backspot and it shows. As dark as the film is willing to go, Waterson always pulls back enough to still have fun and make Backspot light. We’ve seen how many films about downward spirals? Well, here’s one where a dynamo knows where to draw the line. It’s okay to get far and respect yourself. Waterson also had a handle on much of the creation of this film outside of just direction, including the production and even the majority of the music (from curating specific songs to creating EDM jams for the film). Backspot may be more fun and high-spirited than you are anticipating, but what is a film about cheerleaders if it isn’t a story that urges you to keep going? Waterson is our own backspot encouraging us to jump higher but not too high, keep pushing through but not harm ourselves, and that not giving up on ourselves does mean that we have to still acknowledge ourselves in the first place. While I do love films about obsession to the point of collapse, it’s also refreshing to get something else. Backspot never feels safe, but it doesn’t settle for the obvious conclusion of finality either. We can have serious topics being projected through colour and optimistic assuredness. Considering this is their first feature film, Backspot is quite a thorough effort from D. W. Waterson who clearly won’t be slowing down anytime soon. I await what comes next after a film that is unequivocally their own because they are already certain of what they want to say and how they wish to say it. It’s a good sign from a rising filmmaker.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.