Metacritic reviews

An energetic coming-of-age film that pairs the tonalities of a rugged sports flick with the depth of a well-scripted drama, Backspot is a promising debut from Waterson that will leave audiences cheering.

It is Jacobs’ performance that makes “Backspot” such an exciting watch, even as it hits well-known beats and otherwise expected character arcs.

Backspot has the same punch as Run, Lola, Run. Just like that film, the thrills are time released into your system at critical points throughout your viewing.

You may think you know your sports movie tropes, but you’ve never seen them used quite this way — that is, within a queer cheerleading drama firmly focused on complex female characters — and Waterson’s Backspot delights in skewing such expectations for often (but not always) new ends.

As a realistic portrayal of an all-consuming drive, it sticks the landing.

The film is heavy on the dread, light on the narrative. It’s all about the tension in the gym where the adults are just as melodramatic as the girls.

Backspot is a film that, missteps aside, is elevated by a great performance by Devery Jacobs and a terrific ending.

Jacobs‘ magnetic performance alerts us to every tiny miscalculation or epiphany along the way.

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

It's all just too much for any of us to live up to, and yet for Riley, it's all she's ever known. Watching her find the balance is riveting, and a testament to both D.W. Waterson's directorial eye and Devery Jacobs' immense talent.