(WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD)She really is the man!
''She's the Man” is an incredibly wacky comedy that I have gone nuts for.
Viola Johnson (Amanda Bynes) is exceptionally good at soccer, considering that she’s a girl. She’s got a hunk boyfriend who’s also a soccer player and the girls’ soccer team which she captained is constantly winning. Everything is going around smoothly… then she makes a very bizarre decision when her school decides that they have no room for the girls’ soccer team. She dumps up her boyfriend who agrees with the coach’s decision of dissolving her team and not to let them try out, and plans to get back and prove that a girl can beat them - by disguising as her twin brother and play soccer at his new boarding school, who will be playing against her school for the first game of the season. Her brother Sebastian has gone AWOL as he tries to create a musical career in London. And that’s where the situation starts to complicate for this exasperated soccer captain.
The boys in the dorm at first, thought that “Sebastian" (who is secretly Viola) is a little weird. However, with the help of some gorgeous friends, she gets a reputation as a hit with beautiful women. Then she begins to get the hang of being “the man”. But she still has to face challenges like finding some time to take a shower when there's no one around and explaining why she had tampons (They’re for nosebleeds, you know. a very effective way to stop the blood. My nose bleeds easily.—Viola).
Her roommate, Duke Orsino (Channing Tatum), captain of the Illyria soccer team, offers to help her become good enough to be a starter for the coming game if she will put in a good word for him with Olivia. Big problem: Olivia is fascinated with "Sebastian," especially after she reads the real Sebastian's lyrics. For the meantime, the twins' mother expects them both at the Junior League carnival fund-raiser. Sebastian's pushy girlfriend has to be kept at a distance so she does not figure out what is going on. Plus, there's the coming big game.
Bynes is a very talented and charming actress with confidence of someone who is a born comedienne. She handles the predictable complications well, from the quick changes in the carnival's pranks to the faked grimace and moans when she gets hit in the “crotch” with a soccer ball.
Director Andy Flickman wisely kept the energy high. The introduction, a soccer game on the beach, sets a bright and energetic atmosphere that keeps things lively as all of the characters and plot points come together for a happily ever after ending.
I have observed that some of the character’s names are somewhat similar to Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”. Channing Tatum’s character was not named Count Orsino yet the name Duke Orsino still exudes royalty and has almost the same meaning. Sebastian’s school, Illyria comes from the name of the land where Olivia (of the Twelfth Night) arrived after surviving a shipwreck. Indeed, the whole story really is inspired by the Shakespearean play. The situation where Olivia disguises as her brother is akin to that of Shakespeare’s.
It is important to note that the movie is a Rated-PG13. Parents should know that the film includes some crude language and some comic implied nudity. There are also few brawls and scuffles. But one strength of the film is that while the characters talk a great deal about who is "hot," the film's strong point of view is that the priority in relationships is emotional intimacy, not the physical. Another strength of the movie is its casual portrayal of inter-racial relationships. While at first an unattractive character (Monique, played by Alex Breckenridge) is played for laughs, in the end, even she is treated with respect and affection.
Families who see this movie should talk about what led Viola to change her feelings about her ex-boyfriend and. What was the most important thing Viola learned? If you wanted to pretend to be the opposite sex, what would be the hardest part? Teens should also ponder about how important it was that Viola and Olivia valued themselves enough to make sure that they only spent time with boys who would value them too.
"She's the Man" is one truly hilarious film that kept me on a constant laughing fit. It's one that you'd surely enjoy too. Happy viewing...
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I've written this article ages ago, but I haven't posted it in my blog. Well, I guess it's time it got posted. Thanks for giving this an excellent grade, professor!
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