'Bring It:' The Best Quotes from Bring It On in Honor of the Film's 20th Anniversary
Brrrr ... is it cold in here? Must be the Clovers and Toros in the atmosphere.
20 years ago, in a cast (cheer)led by Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union, Bring It On burst onto the scene with its classic one-liners and solidified itself as a cult classic.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the film that taught us what "spirit fingers" are, here are the best lines from the teen movie, in no particular order (because, let's face it, it's impossible to choose a favorite). Don't even try to argue because, in the words of Torrance Shipman, "this is not a democracy, this is a cheer-ocracy."
"I got your door, Tor!"
Universal Pictures
This line means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of the film, but somehow it's one of the lines that simply works. The delivery by the late Richard Hillman, who played Torrance Shipman's unsupportive boyfriend, is just too good. My roommate literally says, "I got the door, Tor," anytime we leave our apartment.
"These aren't spirit fingers. These are spirit fingers, and these are gold."
Wacky choreographer Sparky Polastri (played by Ian Roberts) is in the film for less than five minutes total, but his impact is immeasurable. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard this line, even if they haven't seen the movie itself.
"She puts the itch in bitch."
Honorable mention to "let's not put the 'duh' in dumb."
"Platter! Nationals! Hello!"
Universal Pictures
Big Red (played by Lindsay Sloane) stole a bunch of cheers from the East Compton Clovers — and completely white-washed them — and then had the nerve to yell at Torrance for changing their Regionals routine! Rude!
"I'm pretty sure the loser sneeze is dead."
Universal Pictures
But our love for Cliff Pantone (played by Jesse Bradford) will never die.
"You've been touched by an angel, girl."
Universal Pictures
Again, this all comes down to line delivery. There is just something in the way the late Natina Reed says this to Torrance that makes it unforgettable.
"When you go to Nationals, bring it."
The ageless Gabrielle Union delivered the titular line and shut down Torrance's white-savior complex in one fell swoop. Iconic.
The completely silent toothbrushing scene.
OK, so it's not a quote, per se, but the sexual tension! The subtext! The speaking without the speaking! It's all there. Let me have this.
"This isn't a democracy, it's a cheer-ocracy ... Missy's the poo, so take a big whiff."
The entire cheerleading tryout montage is a cinematic gift, but the dialogue between Torrance and Courtney (played by Clare Kramer) is truly masterful.
"Shut up! If you don't have it yet, you don't have it! Give it up already!"
Universal Pictures
While prepping for Nationals, Missy (played by Eliza Dushku) yells out the window to a practicing squad that if they haven't got their routine down, they obviously will never have it down, and honestly it's peak Missy.
"Please stop teaching her these big words before she chokes on one."
Universal Pictures
An insult for the ages delivered by LaFred (played by Brandi Williams) to Jenelope (Natina Reed). In real life, these two were also members of the girl group Blaque, which makes the banter between them all the better.
"You're a great cheerleader, Aaron. It's just that ... maybe you're not boyfriend material. Buh-bye."
Universal Pictures
We know Big Red was the movie's true villain, but Aaron comes in a close second, and we love every second of Torrance breaking up with him.
Happy 20th Anniversary, Bring It On! We're off to go watch it for the 1,000th time today!
