Movie Review: She's the Man

Remember Just One of the Guys from the 80s? Same basic idea. Viola (play by Amanda Bynes) is distressed when her school cancels the girls' soccer team and won't let the girls try out for the boys' team. A bit unrealistic in this over-PC, lawsuit-happy society, but let's go with that. To prove she's as good at soccer as any boy, especially her suddenly chauvinistic boyfriend, Vi decides to take her twin brother's spot at a private school, join the soccer team and show them all. Oh, and of course, the new school is a boarding school, so she'll have to live (and shower with, and room with) the boys. Of course, this leads to awkward situations, especially when she develops a crush on her roommate and a girl starts crushing on her . . .

Bynes is somewhat passable-looking as a boy. They give her a wig instead of cutting her hair, so that she can still be a girl when she needs to. Her first attempt at talking like a boy are decent, but as the movie goes, it develops into this bizarre accent, a mix of Brooklyn and deep south, almost, that makes no sense and became grating and distracting to me.

Distracting to my husband were the many flaws in the soccer game - the makers of this movie aren't soccer players/fans and it shows to those who are.

The whole movie pushes past the standard suspension of disbelief. It has some funny moments, and Bynes handles the slapstick like a champ. As with many movies these days, the "teens" are actors in their mid-20s and look it (no one in MY high school looked like Duke!!). I'd say, watch this one if it's on TV and you've got nothing else to do, but it isn't worth renting.