Imagine dressing like your twin brother just because you wanted to play football.
That was exactly what happened to Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes) in She’s the Man. What started as a simple plan to play football soon turned into a complicated situation involving romance, friendship, lies and a lot of close calls.
Directed by Andy Fickman, She’s the Man followed Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes), a young girl who had been passionate about football. She wanted to prove that she could play just as well as the boys, but her school had cancelled the girls' football team and refused to let her join the boys' team.
Viola wasn't ready to give up. Her twin brother, Sebastian Hastings (James Kirk), had been preparing to attend another school, but he secretly travelled to London instead. Viola saw an opportunity and decided to take his place.
She changed her appearance, dressed like her brother and introduced herself as Sebastian.
Her plan seemed simple, attend the school, join the football team and prove herself.
But things quickly became more complicated than she expected.
At the school, Viola had to share a room with Duke Orsino (Channing Tatum), the school's popular football player. Duke believed that his new roommate was Sebastian and had no idea that he was actually living with Viola.
While trying to keep her identity hidden, Viola had also developed feelings for Duke.
Unfortunately, Duke had been interested in Olivia Lennox (Laura Ramsey). Olivia, on the other hand, became interested in “Sebastian,” without knowing that Sebastian was actually Viola.
At that point, everything had become a complete mess.
Viola had been trying to convince everyone that she was a boy while secretly dealing with feelings for Duke. Duke had been trying to get closer to Olivia, while Olivia was falling for the person she believed was Sebastian.
Amanda Bynes made Viola one of the most entertaining parts of the movie. Her expressions, mannerisms and attempts to behave like a teenage boy had created many funny moments.
Channing Tatum (Duke Orsino) played his role well. His character initially appeared confident and somewhat arrogant, but as the story progressed, a softer side of Duke had gradually been revealed.
Olivia Lennox (Laura Ramsey) also played an important role in the confusion. She was attracted to “Sebastian” without knowing the truth, which had made the love triangle even more complicated.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Festes (James Snyder) was Sebastian's friend who helped create another layer of confusion because of his own plans and secrets.
One thing that had made Viola's story interesting was that her love for football was so genuine. She did not disguised herself just to attract attention. She wanted the opportunity to play the sport she loved and prove that she belonged on the field.
The movie therefore touched on the way girls could sometimes be underestimated when it came to sports.
However, Viola's decision to pretend to be her brother came with plenty of problems.
She needed to remember everything about Sebastian, behave like a boy, hide her feelings and make sure nobody discovered her secret.
The audience knows the truth from the beginning, so every suspicious moment became even more entertaining. Whenever someone came close to discovering Viola's identity, it felt like her entire plan was about to fall apart.
The romantic confusion had also made the movie more enjoyable. Viola liked Duke. Duke liked Olivia. Olivia liked “Sebastian.” It was one complicated circle of people liking the wrong person.
The movie was loosely based on William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, which also featured mistaken identities and complicated relationships.
Of course, She’s the Man was not completely realistic. Some situations were exaggerated, and there were moments when it seemed almost impossible that Viola's secret remained hidden for so long.
But that was part of what made the movie entertaining.
It didn't try to be a serious drama. It was a lighthearted comedy filled with football, romance, friendship, school drama and plenty of embarrassing situations.
The 2000s setting also gave the movie a nostalgic feeling. The fashion, school environment and humour captured the style of teenage movies from that period.
What stood out most about Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes) was her determination. She refused to accept that she could not play football simply because she was a girl.
Ironically, while pretending to be her brother, she ended up learning more about herself, her relationships and what she truly wanted.
She’s the Man was funny, chaotic and entertaining. It combined romance, football and mistaken identity into a story that remained enjoyable even when things became completely ridiculous.
It's been one of those movies that could make you laugh, cringe and wonder how the characters would possibly get themselves out of the mess they created.
Rating: 80/100
