Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
Amanda Bynes plays teenager Viola Johnson in 'She's the Man'. - CONTRIBUTED
SHE'S THE Man, directed by Andy Fickman, is a hilarious teen flick. It's light and silly and fun. Essentially, it is a great accompaniment to pop corn. It may have no nutritious value, but it's crunchy and it tastes good.
Written by Ewan Leslie and Karen McCullah Lutz, the flick stars Amanda Bynes who has moved from being a Nickelodeon baby with, All That and The Amanda Show and is steadily racking up a series of teen flicks that go down easily. Her roles generally appeal to her vivacious nature and highlight that her head was not merely made for hair.
BORROWED FROM THE BARD
She's the Man borrows its storyline from The Bard himself, taking its outline from Twelfth Night. As such it follows in the line of teen flicks that have become popcorn versions of the classics. She's the Man ranks somewhere not too far below Clueless (the re-versioning of Jane Austen's Emma) and Ten Things I Hate About You (which borrowed its outline from Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew).
Bynes plays Viola, an aspiring footballer who attempts to impersonate her twin brother when her football team gets annexed. However, things get a little complicated when she begins to fall for her roommate, Duke (Channing Tatum) who is quite infatuated with Olivia (Laura Ramsey), who likes Sebastian, who is really Viola. That said, the flick has sufficient 'mix-up-and-blendaism' to make a soap opera fan's head spin. It's a great comedy of errors.
An array of other characters adds to the mayhem that ensues. David Cross plays principal Gold, who sports a ridiculous beard and manages to have a personality which is even sillier. Vinnie Jones takes on the role of the Coach Dinklage.
HILARIOUSLY WRITTEN
The flick is hilariously written and features decent performances which are just strong enough to carry the weight of the comedy. It has energy, and moves at a quick pace as Viola tries to fit into a boy's world but keeps saying the things that girls would say. Her attempts to backtrack are quite hilarious, especially when the boys bring out the girl in her.
Bynes does not make the perfect representative for female athletes in sports like football, as they generally take their physical strength more seriously. But she does bring the right mindset to the game and tackles it with determination. The football element of the flick, which is quite perfect as The World Cup continues to unfold, is also a part of the film's entertaining value.
In the end, She's The Man proves to be a cross-dressing flick that is light but satisfying. It's a great popcorn with butter movie.
