Sabotaging the Squad (2023 Lifetime)
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Cast: Brittany Goodwin, Meyon Jacobs, Olivia Buckle, Lauren Mayo
Director: Dylan Vox
Writer: Jason-Shane Scott
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
Recent widow and single mom to teenager Arielle (Lauren Mayo), Missy (Meyon Jacobs) is ready to take over as head coach of Arielle’s cheer squad, the 360s. But the other cheer moms are resistant to a change in regime, especially Darlene (Olivia Buckle), who has been vying for the top job ever since becoming interim coach following the previous coach’s apparent suicide. With the help of her friend and assistant coach, Gemma (Brittany Goodwin), Missy does her best to ignore the cheer moms and focus on getting her cheerleaders ready for competition. But strange things begin to happen that sabotage all her efforts-from the team uniform order being canceled right before the squad’s first competition, to Missy being locked in a garage and nearly missing a critical meet. As more incidents occur with increasing intensity, one of the cheer moms dies under mysterious circumstances. With Missy as the prime suspect, she must clear her name while keeping her squad competition ready before anyone else dies.
Recap/Wine Thoughts
The movie begins with a woman named Krista downing wine and yelling on the phone at Darlene for ruining her marriage. There is a knock at the door, and someone attacks Krista. Krista’s daughter, Rachel, finds her mother’s dead body.
Cut to a cheerleader practice, and our girl, Olivia Buckle, plays Darlene. The interim head coach while hunk, Sasha, finds a replacement. It doesn’t take long.
Recently widowed, Missy, and her daughter Arielle moved to town and are excited to both join the squad. Missy will be coaching at the high school where she was the queen bee. Her former BFF, Gemma, welcome them back. Missy asks Gemma to be her assistant coach. Then they put on their old cheerleader uniforms and cheer in the kitchen.
At the first practice, Gemma gives the rundown of who is who:
- Blondes: Candie and her daughter Janelle.
- Tawnya, the mayors wife, and her daughter Fiona. (Who sucks cheerleading.)
- Heidi, who is obsessed with social media and is Darlene’s daughter.
The seniors do not welcome Arielle because they think she is flirting with the spotter, and they think she is gunning for a spot on the mat.
When Missy announces that EVERYONE will need to audition for the spots on mat, the moms go WILD. Candie, Tawnya, and Darlene object loudly. (They are also all former 360 Squad members and classmates of Missy’s.) Missy isn’t having it and sends the moms to “the viewing room.”
Audition montage, which includes some ACTUAL tumbling and flying?!?! Wow! I’m impressed.
After practice, Missy goes to the locker room to take some anti-seizure medication she has been on since the car accident that killed her husband. She feels like someone is watching her, and that is because someone is! The mysterious person takes photos of Missy hugging Sasha goodbye in the parking lot.
The Mean Moms have a party and trash-talk Missy. Missy shows up and tells them to shut the hell up! Then the Mean Moms toast, “To Missy death… as the 360’s coach.”
Missy announces that the team will have new uniforms AND the starters, who are Janelle, Arielle, and Fiona. Darlene freaks out because her daughter Heidi was not picked and claims Missy has a vendetta against her.
Gemma takes over the practice from Missy while she is not feeling well. Gemma doesn’t really know what she is doing, so Darlene oversteps and jumps in. Gemma feels pushed aside and has trouble standing up for herself. Missy returns and puts Darlene in her place.
Heidi is embarrassed by her mother and more focused on her break up with hunky spotter Tanner. She admits she hasn’t been trying at cheerleading because she is upset over the heartbreak. It doesn’t help that Arielle continues to hang out with Tanner.
At a house party, Missy sees someone in the bushes. It is Rachel spying on the cheerleading squad to see who killed her mom. Missy is like, “Ummm, tell me more.” but Rachel runs away.
It is time for the regional competition, which has some good teams! The 360’s uniforms did not arrive because someone stole Missy’s phone and canceled the order. The 360s are thrown off their game and fall out of some formations. They do not place.
The mean moms take the lose as an opportunity to bully Missy to get what they want. They throw their weight around as leaders in the community to intimidate Missy into doing what they want.
Missy makes the adjustments, and Fiona drops Arielle. Tanner and Sasha lay on the guilt by reprimanding Fiona. Missy is more concerned about getting her daughter to the hospital.
The team starts getting whipped into shape and enters another competition, this time with uniforms! Missy struggles with her health and ends up locked in a dark bathroom after taking her pills. Gemma nervously takes over since Missy is MIA.
Missy makes it to the end of the routine, which goes much better than last time. Sasha asks Missy what happened and demands that his head coach is 100% in on the job. Missy confronts the Mean Moms and tells them to back down. The Mean Moms are clueless as to what Missy is accusing them of and call her crazy.
A party suddenly happens with all the grown-ups. Missy and Darlene come to an understanding and even share a toast to 360’s success. Of course, some shadiness is going on in secret. Candie goes through a purse/makes out with Sasha, and someone drugs Missy’s martini.
Missy wakes up after passing out and finds everyone has left except Gemma. Missy doesn’t stay up for long because she can’t find her seizure pills in her purse and faints on the stairs. Arielle comes home and finds her mother, and puts her to bed. When Missy wakes up, Arielle insists her mom take her pill, and they discover that the pills were swapped out with sugar pills.
Arielle asks her mom to go talk to Rachel to see what she knows about the cheerleading squad. Rachel is defensive and upset that the Mean Moms murdered her mother. The talk about death brings up feelings for Missy and Arielle, and they talk about the recent death in their family. (Meyon Jacobs does some great acting here. I felt her tears!)
Missy confronts Darlene and demands answers. Darlene promises she is not trying to sabotage anyone. (Maybe it is her headband, but I believe her!) Darlene admits to being jealous and suggests that Candie and Sasha could be behind everything.
In the literal next scene, Darlene tells Candie everything. (Damn, I was fooled!) Candie is annoyed but not too upset to hook up with Sasha and his hairy chest in a car.
The sexy interaction is interrupted by a text from Missy, and Candie gets out of the car, annoyed. Then someone attacks her in the parking lot.
With Candie missing, things go into chaos. Darlene accuses Missy of doing something to her friend and to Krista. Rachel storms in and calls Darlene a liar. Then Rachel sees Gemma and Darlene talking in the school parking lot. It triggers a memory, and Rachel thinks Gemma is involved with Krista’s death. Rachel tells Missy, who is skeptical.
Gemma admits that she did talk to Krista about a job and apologizes for withholding it from Missy. They quickly forgive and forget because it is time for another competition! 360s get 1st place. (Yay!)
Darlene and Heidi seem to be getting along much better, even if Darlene is weighed down by keeping the secret about Candie and Sasha hooking up. Gemma stops by, shows Darlene some bloody gloves, and then chloroforms her in her own damn living room.
Next, Arielle is chloroformed at her house, also by Gemma.
Things are popping off in this movie as it is trying to wrap up.
Missy finds Candie’s body, gets a text of Arielle tied up, and finds Darlene tied to a balance beam.
“It’s GEMMA!” She screams to an overwhelmed Missy. Then Gemma knocks Missy out with a Cheerleading trophy.
Gemma explains everything through a well-needed flashback. Gemma was the one who banged on Krista’s door. Gemma was having an affair with Krista’s husband. She strangled Krista to death in a fit of rage.
Gemma also admits to killing Candie and to being jealous of Missy’s entire life. She calls them all selfish and explains everything even more as Darlene texts a group for help.
Rachel comes to the rescue and takes Gemma out as the rest of the team runs in frantically. They all huddle together and watch as Gemma is taken away.
Flash to a backyard party for the seniors. They toast to being a family and do the 360 cheer. The end!
Side Note
Minority Report: Missy, Arielle, Tawnya, Fiona, various cheerleaders,
Also Known As: Cheer, Drama, Murder
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Overall rating
Number of Kills:
🔪🔪🔪 (3 knives)
Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)
🍷 🍷 🍷 (3 Glasses of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Pour it up! (Give it a shot)
Put a Cork in It (Skip It)
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