Amazon.co.uk Review
Shakespearean comedy and American high school are a match made in heaven--or Hollywood, at any rate. Somehow the exaggerated emotions and budding hormones of adolescence are perfectly suited to Shakespeare's twisty plots, and
She's the Man is a perfect example. Viola (Amanda Bynes,
What a Girl Wants) is furious when she learns that her high school, Cornwall, has cut the girl's soccer team--so furious that she takes advantage of her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk,
Final Destination 2) skipping town for a few weeks to take his place at his school, Illyria, so she can join the soccer team there. But her disguise as her brother leads to complications when she falls in love with her soccer-playing roommate and the girl he's in love with falls in love with "Sebastian"... Bynes may not be entirely persuasive as a high school boy, but she's got the charm and sprightliness to make the audience follow her anyway. The clever script walks a fine balance, treating the situation realistically enough to make Viola's efforts matter, but zipping along quickly enough that we don't worry too much about the details. As Duke and Olivia--the other two parts of the love triangle--Channing Tatum and Laura Ramsey combine sex appeal with engaging sweetness; the excellent supporting cast includes David Cross (
Arrested Development), Julie Hagerty (
Airplane! ), and former British soccer star Vinnie Jones (
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels). All in all, a delightful bit of fun. --
Bret Fetzer
Synopsis
In yet another teen-flavoured Shakespeare adaptation, SHE'S THE MAN takes an even lighter approach to TWELFTH NIGHT than the bard himself, but throws a curve ball by mixing its inherent gender-switch romance with a feel-good, 'girl power', sports element. Amanda Bynes (WHAT A GIRL WANTS) is Viola, a high school student who just wants to play soccer, even though her mother (Julie Hagerty) is prepping her for a debutante ball. Just as the girls' soccer team is eliminated from her school, Viola discovers that her brother - also a keen soccer player - is ditching the beginning of the semester to go to London with his band. Disguised as 'manly' as she could possibly be, Viola decides to go in his place and prove that she can make it on the team. However, she doesn't count on falling for the dashing Duke (Channing Tatum, SUPERCROSS), whom she befriends and is forced to reluctantly aid in his wooing of the beautiful and popular, Olivia (Laura Ramsey). Bynes leaps into her role with a broad comic style that works well with this bright, colourful film. The adult roles are handled deftly by Hagerty and Vinnie Jones (SNATCH), as well as David Cross (Arrested Development), who makes the most of his clueless headmaster role with the help of a cavalcade of ridiculous hats.
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