She's The Man: Not Your Cliché 'Chick Flick'

Rating: 9/10 (19 February 2013)

"Inside every girl, there's a boy." As misleading as this quote may be, Adam Fickman's charming romantic comedy She's The Man sets out to prove that men and women do in fact have more in common than society gives us credit for. It is a playful and modern twist on William Shakespeare's play, Twelfth Night, and reestablishes the stereotype of "chick flick". She's The Man does everything in its power to eliminate socially constructed gender roles with a cohesive mixture of dynamic characters, witty dialogue, and a creative take on one of Shakespeare's classics.
It is virtually impossible to discuss the hilarity of this film without mentioning the stellar performance given by Amanda Bynes. Once a Nickelodeon child star, Bynes sets out to prove she can thrive on the silver screen as well. Bynes's character, Viola, is determined to prove her passion and skill for the game of soccer once her high school team gets cut. In order to do this, Viola makes the valiant decision to impersonate her twin brother on his school's boys soccer team at the cleverly named high school of Illyria, which corresponds with the setting in Twelfth Night. The film follows the lively and complicated journey Viola encounters while posing as a boy, involving everything from being able to shower, to fitting in with the boys, and even Viola's inner struggle as she begins to fall for her roommate, Duke, played by the actor who is undoubtedly the shining star every teenage girl's bedroom walls, Channing Tatum. The film is also filled with phenomenal performances from Laura Ramsey, David Cross, and James Kirk.
Amanda Bynes is very unconvincing as a male, which is where most of the comedy in this film actually lies. Viola's dialogue with other supporting actors as she impersonates a boy is sure to have everyone rolling on the floor with laughter. She's The Man does an impeccable job of poking fun at stereotypes associated with gender roles. One specific scene in the movie, which takes place in Viola's dream, involves her running down a muddy soccer field in a large ball gown, depicting the inner struggle Viola feels with her mother pressuring her to "be a proper lady", and her love for the game of soccer. There is an apparent double standard that women should be independent and go after their wildest dreams, yet still remain a proper lady. This movie, however, proves that a girl can be both the sports-fanatic tomboy and the sophisticated woman that society expects her to be.
This film gets major points for originality as well for its modern twist on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Although this movie obviously isn't identical to the play, it does have corresponding characters names and a complicated love triangle. The plot is very similar in many ways as well, with a girl masquerading as her twin brother, falling in love with a man, and being unable to tell him for fear of revealing her true self. I believe that Adam Fickman did an exceptional job developing the historical Shakespearean plot into an intricate and charming storyline that teenagers will drool over.
Anyone who expects this movie to be a typical, cheesy romantic comedy, will be very surprised to see that She's The Man is in fact an empowering film revolving around equality and perseverance.