She's the Man

SHE'S THE MAN

REVIEWED BY RISSI C.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: sensuality and language

Rated:

Based on William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, She’s the Man is set in modern day Vancouver.

How far would you be willing to go for something you love? For Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes), her love is soccer. She’s the captain of the girl’s soccer team at her school. Her boyfriend Justin (Robert Hoffman) says she’s better than most the guys on his team. When the sports budget is cut, taking her team down with it, Viola suggests the girls join the boy’s team, but her suggestion is only scoffed at.

The perfect opportunity for Viola to continue to play soccer presents itself when her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk), decides to go to London without his parents' knowledge. During Sebastian’s absence, she decides to pose as him and join the team. She asks her hairdresser friend Paul (Jonathan Sadowski) to help her with a makeover to become her brother. With this complete, she tells her mother (Julie Hagerty), that she’s going to stay with her dad in order to keep up the facade. Once Viola gets settled into her new school, her goal becomes making the local soccer team, so she can beat her now ex-boyfriend’s team in the opening season game. In-between soccer and classes, Viola also has to contend with Sebastian’s girlfriend Monique (Alex Breckenridge), and put in occasional appearances as herself. While at Sebastian’s school, she meets Duke (Channing Tatum), the star player on the team.

Duke has a crush on Olivia (Laura Ramsey), but he can’t seem to ask her out. He asks “Sebastian” (who is really Viola) for help. While helping him with Olivia, she realizes that she likes him. She just has one problem, he thinks she’s a guy! The content in this movie is definitely worthy of the PG13 rating. It opens with the girl’s soccer team playing on the beach in skimpy shorts and bikini tops. The girls continue to dress immodestly throughout the film. There is a scene with Viola in the boy’s locker room after a game practice (the camera doesn’t show anything more than the guys with towels around them). Viola is always trying to take a shower when no one is around. At the championship game, in order to prove who’s Viola and who is Sebastian, she pulls her top up and he pulls his pants down; the audience doesn’t see anything. There are a few kisses. Language is minimal.

I love Amanda Bynes. She is hilarious and seems so natural, almost like it’s really her personality to be funny. One scene that made me laugh was Viola explaining to her roommates why she had feminine products in her locker. I like Amanda better as a young actress than Lindsay Lohan or Hilary Duff. Julie Hagerty and Laura Ramsey were also hilarious. James Kirk and Amanda Bynes were well cast as twins; I could see a resemblance. One thing I will say: I don’t go into a movie thinking this movie has Oscar potential. I go to be entertained and I was with She’s the Man. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard. It’s a fun story with lots of cute moments.