She's the Man
By Cynthia Fuchs,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Cute but crass comedy based on Shakespeare play.
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She's the Man
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Based on 10 parent reviews
Good but not for young kids
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What's the Story?
Based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, SHE'S THE MAN centers on Viola (Amanda Bynes), who hits a major road bump when she learns her high school girls' soccer team has been cut for lack of funding. When she asks to try out for the boys' team, the coach tells her flat out, "Girls can't be boys." With no support from her boyfriend, Justin (Robert Hoffman) or her mom (Julie Hagerty), Viola finds a way to takes her brother's place at his new high school, Ilysia. Outfitted with a short wig and briefly trained on how to be a boy, Viola-as-Sebastian rooms with Duke (Channing Tatum) and makes the soccer team. Viola soon develops a crush on Duke, who likes their classmate Olivia (Laura Ramsey), who in turn develops an interest in Viola-as-Sebastian. As the romantic confusion escalates, so do Viola's frantic efforts to maintain her masquerade. In a frenzied climax at a Carnival festival, quick-change-artist Viola attends as herself (flirting with Duke) and Sebastian (advising Duke as he pursues Olivia). All the while, Viola-as-Sebastian avoids taking showers with her teammates, finagles her way out of a hazing ritual, and proves her worth on the soccer field.
Is It Any Good?
Cute, crass, and happily unbelievable, SHE'S THE MAN is buoyed by Amanda Bynes' vivacious performance as a girl who pretends to be a boy. Increasingly unwieldy as the plot threads must be sorted out, the film relies heavily on the delightful Bynes (when she's not on-screen for a few minutes, the energy sags considerably). Once Viola absorbs her boy lessons, she finds it hard to be a girl in scenes that go overboard: She gnaws at her food, straddles her chair, fights with fellow debutantes in the ladies' room. Eventually she learns to be "herself." Not the best movie out there, but entertaining for a sleepover or teen movie night.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about gender roles and the limits of gender-based expectations. How are girls and boys trained to behave in specific ways? How does Viola come to see that lying to her mother, new friends, and eventual boyfriend is not the best way to make her point about gender equality?
This movie is based on the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night. What do you think would be the challenges in taking a play first performed in 1602 and updating it for modern audiences?
How did this movie address sexism and equality? Did the comedy heighten the overall message, or was the message muddied by all the story twists?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 17, 2006
- On DVD or streaming: July 18, 2006
- Cast: Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, Vinnie Jones
- Director: Andy Fickman
- Studio: DreamWorks
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Brothers and Sisters, High School
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: for some sexual material
- Last updated: May 19, 2023
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