Waterson has a really good eye for capturing details for these characters. There are relationships within this film that feel real, and a lot that goes unspoken that feels natural.

Full Review | Jun 15, 2024

Queer cheerleader drama 'Backspot' leans into laidback, slice-of-life character study.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 8, 2024

This Canadian drama has plenty of punchy energy in its handheld camerawork, raucous song score and high-energy acrobatics. And the cast is excellent. But the writing and direction leave little space for the audience to get involved.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 4, 2024

It’s the ambition and athleticism on display in Backspot that makes the audience come out of it with a whole new appreciation for the sport.

Full Review | Jun 4, 2024

A visceral and dynamic sports film so centered on girlhood in ways that feel exciting and original, but a lot of that work is done by the directing more than the script itself. Regardless, it’s a striking entry into the queerleading canon...

Full Review | Jun 3, 2024

Devery Jacobs shines in an intense cheerleading drama that's markedly different from previous films about the popular sport. Backspot addresses complex themes with an energetic approach and nuance.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 3, 2024

A major showcase for Waterson and Jacobs, get ready to cheer on Backspot.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jun 1, 2024

A fully committed performance by Devery Jacobs brings some grit and tenacity to this coming-of-age cheerleading drama that overall feels like a familiar routine.

Full Review | Jun 1, 2024

Devery Jacobs is transcendent and sublime in this engaging cheerleading drama.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jun 1, 2024

And as the championship cheer action comes to a close, you may hit the showers thinking you’ve just seen a sports movie, a queer anthem or a coming-of-age dramedy, and you wouldn’t be wrong.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 31, 2024

Its early execution strains and wobbles some, but “Backspot” sticks its landing.

Full Review | May 31, 2024

Waterson clearly appreciates what these young female athletes can do – and make no mistake, they are athletes – while also examining the inherent contradictions of their sport.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | May 31, 2024

Even the successful character development... can’t rescue Waterson’s film from its Sparky Polastri-level routine. It’s a spirited attempt, but unfortunately one needed more practice if it truly wanted to impress.

Full Review | May 31, 2024

"Backspot" walks a delicate line between traditional teen fare and an adult-centric drama, which is precisely the intersection Riley inhabits.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | May 31, 2024

A worthy, complex character study of a cheerleader This isn’t a teen drama, it’s extremely interior, balancing its youthful exuberance. A captivating, insightful and important film, story and direction by D.W. Waterson in a striking debut.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | May 31, 2024

While the result is uneven, there’s enough intrigue to draw us in and hold our attention.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | May 31, 2024

The stakes of the story are here, but the drama of it feels uncertain.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | May 31, 2024

Wonderfully shot, choreographed, scored, and acted. Dark and light collide to create magic under neon and laser lights. D. W. Waterson will have you cheering for their energetic, affecting, and intelligent work. Elite level filmmaking.

Full Review | Original Score: A | May 30, 2024

A nuanced portrait of a young athlete who’s trying to make sense of the world around her, and the ways that the adults around her struggle with their own failings.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 30, 2024

Like a riff on Whiplash set against the rigours of elite cheerleading, Backdrop is a choppy examination of the pursuit of competitive excellence.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | May 30, 2024