She's the Man (2006)

Plot: Viola (Amanda Bynes) disguises herself as her twin brother when he ditches school for a few weeks to go to London. She falls for one of her soccer teammates (Channing Tatum). Little does she know she's not the only one with romantic troubles, as she, as he gets in the middle of a complex love affair.

Review: I actually enjoyed this, which surprised me.

The plot is based on the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night. Now the character mostly have the same names and the boarding school is named after the country that the play takes place. Twelfth Night is a comedy play from the Renaissance so of course the play's humor had to be changed so that a modern, adolescent audience could get it. The movie does have predictable and sometimes over the top humor. But that's what's to be expected in most teen comedies now. So it was bearable. Both the play and the film also have a very complex love triangle, which can be confusing whether you're reading the play or watching the movie.

The film's acting is actually good. I like Amanda Bynes. I think she's one of those actresses that can actually make you laugh. She's very funny in this. Her attempts to pull off being her twin brother is hilarious and worth watching. Channing Tatum is in this. I recently wrote a review for his film 21 Jump Street (2012) and I was surprised how funny Channing Tatum is. He's funny in this, don't get me wrong, but this is a PG-13 teen comedy; 21 Jump Street (2012) is rated R and that film can go anywhere because it's aimed at an older demographic. So I think Channing Tatum did a fine job, even though his character is pretty naive. And I thought he and Amanda Bynes had good chemistry between the two of them. Laura Ramsay plays Olivia and I think she's an alright antagonist. David Cross plays the school's principal and I thought he was pretty funny. The rest of the cast is decent, but this is really Amanda Bynes' show and she owns it.

The film's humor is okay. Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum and David Cross have great comedic timing and they hold their own. The rest of the cast have their good moments in terms of comedy, but these three really made it work.

I like the plot element of women playing sports that some believe are more appropriate for men. I wish they would've explored that a little deeper. But I think the soccer game towards the end made what they were trying to convey to the audience clear. And of course, it had the outcome you expected so nothing really shocking there.

She's the Man is a surprisingly good teen comedy. It can be predictable, over the top and it's not hysterical, but it's still a decent teen comedy.

Rating: 3/5