Synopsis

High school soccer player Viola Hastings learns the girls’ team has been eliminated and she can’t convince the boys’ coach or her soccer player boyfriend Justin she’s good enough to join their boy’s team. So when her twin brother Sebastian sneaks off to London for two weeks, Viola decides this is her chance to get even with the boys. With the help of a makeover artist friend she transforms herself into Sebastian and heads off to his school hoping to make the boys soccer team. But pretending to be a guy turns out to be a lot more complicated than Viola expected, especially when she starts developing feelings for her roommate, Duke Orsino. Unfortunately, he has a crush on the beautiful Olivia who finds herself attracted to Sebastian. Duke is far from happy.

What The Critics Say

"As teen comedies go, this one hits most of the right marks. The cast is solid. The story is fast-paced and funny. And most importantly, I laughed and laughed." Winda Benedetti SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "When this film first began I thought it was going to be jaw-droppingly awful, I hated the opening credits, but Amanda Bynes is so likeable and so talented that I was very quickly won over. And she’s not the only good one, Channing Tatum is a hunk and very convincing as well. 3 1/2 STARS." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "Amanda Bynes makes the movie with her goofy awkwardness... and it helps that the supporting characters are fun." Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone THEMOVIECHICKS.COM "The only way to review a film like She’s The Man is, needless to say, back in the mind frame of that young punk again. Would he have got a kick out of it? Would today’s teens get a kick out of it? Are the youngster surrounding you laughing? And the answer: a resounding [which pretty much means that even the thirty-year-old hiding inside, enjoyed it too – just don’t tell anyone] Yes." Clint Morris WEBWOMBAT

"Unlike Clueless (which updated Jane Austen), the writers here are more intent on the comical possibilities of the sex switch than in spoofing contemporary situations." Vicky Roach NEWS ENTERTAINMENT "Bynes does such a good job as a boy that it comes across as funny and entertaining, even if you have graduated from high school." Tony Medley TONYMEDLEY.COM "...playing a "dude" seems to suit Bynes perfectly: her smirks and whispered asides comically suggest another character trying to get out." OPTUS MOVIE REVIEWS "The opening credit sequence, a soccer game on the beach, sets a bright and brashly kinetic tone that keeps things bouncy as all of the characters and plot points come together for a happily ever after ending." Nell Minow MOVIE MOM AT YAHOO! MOVIES

The Inside Story Amanda Bynes latest film is touted as a take on "Twelfth Night" by the bard, William Shakespeare. Having never seen "Twelfth Night" I can't comment on that aspect of the production but what I can say is men and women in gender-bending films is not entirely new. But [and there's always a but], I can confirm the film was inspired by "Twelfth Night". "I was in London a few years ago and saw Sam Mendes’ brilliant production of "Twelfth Night” at the Donmar", says self-confessed Shakespeare fan, writer-producer Ewan Leslie. I’d read the play and had seen the movie version, but when I saw Sam’s production, it really crystallized for me. I’ve seen other classics contemporized for today’s audiences in films like ‘Clueless’ and ‘10 Things I Hate About You.’ It seems to me that stories like these transcend eras; the basic premise is so strong, it doesn’t matter when or where it takes place." In case of "She's The Man", the 'place' is American high school, Illyria Prep. "The main reason I set the story in a high school is I think there can be a little more androgyny at that age," Leslie explained. "You know, not all boys are shaving by the time they’re 16 or 17." Selling the concept for "She's The Man" turned out to be a simple process. Leslie, the President of Production at the Donners’ Company, gave his script to producer Lauren Shuler Donner along with the news that rising teen star Amanda Bynes has already signed on. "On his own, he had gotten the script to Amanda, who signed on. I said, "Great. Let’s go sell it." It was the easiest movie project I have ever gotten going," Shuler Donner says. The producer then went looking for a director. After meeting with several prospective candidates she settled on Andy Fickman. "Andy impressed everyone in the room. First of all, his ‘Reefer Madness’ was very well done. He is also very funny and incredibly smart and had great ideas on how to make the movie. Andy not only ‘got’ the material, but he also saw the potential of the sports angle to give it cross-over appeal to guys as well as girls." Fickman says there were two big factors that attracted him to the project. The first was the script. "I immediately responded to the script," Fickman said. "It genuinely made me laugh out loud, and "Twelfth Night" is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Adding to that, I have always loved movies like "Tootsie", "Mrs Doubtfire" and "Victor/Victoria". This gave me an opportunity to have some fun with that type of genre." The second attraction was the signing of four times Kids' Choice Award winner Amanda Bynes. "I have an eight-year-old son, so I have spent a good many hours watching Amanda Bynes on Nickelodeon and have become a huge fan of hers. I had a meeting with her and, from the start, we clicked on everything." It seems that Bynes and Fickman had some common likes. "I loved the idea of doing a modern version of ‘Twelfth Night,’ and I especially loved having the chance to play two different characters, with one being a boy. It’s rare that you get to do something like that," Bynes comments. "In fact, "Tootsie" is one of my favorite movies. I even had a dog named after Tootsie, so to actually have an opportunity to play this kind of role was really exciting. It was very well written and I loved Andy Fickman. It all seemed too good to be true; I felt grateful to be a part of it." Now it was time to go search for the support cast. The production team settled for a mixture of relative newcomers and several comedy veterans. Heading the cast and starring opposite Bynes is rising star Channing Tatum as Duke. The team considered Tatum "one of their greatest finds". "Seriously, he wowed everybody when he came in to read, and it was a joy working with him," says director Andy Fickman. "At one point, we thought we might need a stunt double and a soccer double for the role of Duke, but Channing is a natural athlete. That’s him doing all his own stuff. He gave so much of himself every day. Really, there is something special about him." Tatum, who recently appeared with Samuel L Jackson in "Coach Carter" says he was attracted to the project because of the physical aspects of the role. "I love physical roles because it allows you to bring something else to your character besides what’s written in your lines. It helps put you into character. Playing a jock, you get to be really physical, but playing Duke, I also got to be the exact opposite of a jock." Producer Shuler Donner says that's a fact. "There is something unexpectedly soulful about Channing, which was perfect for the part of Duke, because he’s got such a macho look but turns out to be quite sensitive." When it came to working with star Amanda Bynes Tatum says, "I love Amanda to death," he revealed. "She is just the most adorable thing you can imagine. It was so much fun being on the set with her; she was just hysterical, whether she was a girl or a guy." Bynes says when it came to falling for Channing Tatum as Duke it was a breeze. "It was not a hard job to pretend I like Channing," she said with a smile. "He is definitely easy on the 'peepers', and he is also one of the sweetest guys I know. He was so much fun to work with and just to be around, so it was easy to pretend to have a crush on him. I felt such a bond with him, and I know we’ll be friends for a long time." The third party in the 'love triangle' is Laura Ramsey, who stars as Olivia. Duke has a crush on her, but she has a crush on Sebastian, while sebastian has a crush on Duke. Ramsay explains. "Sebastian and Olivia have this connection, so Olivia is falling in love with Sebastian, but really it’s Viola disguised as her brother…and I have to say, Amanda was good-looking as a guy. I could see how Olivia could be attracted to her, I mean him." Confused? Don't worry it all looks good on the big screen and all the little 'secrets' are revealed when the real Sebastian, Viola's brother, returns from a trip to London. This is one 'chick flick' that works extremely well. The cast, headed by the talented Bynes does a great job and the storyline provides plenty of fun moments. While most guys will probably give this a'big miss', it is an ideal film for the teen, pre-teen and mother/daughter market. The Verdict "Judging from the feedback I've been getting my hunch was right. "She's The Man" is proving to be a real hit with both the teen and pre-teen market. Amanda Bynes steps it up a notch playing two characters, Viola and impersonating her twin brother Sebastian. "She's The Man" is an ideal opportunity for a mother and daughter outing or a girlfriends day at the local multiplex. Recommended." Cast & Crew Bytes "SHE'S THE MAN" stars .......
Amanda Bynes ["Big Fat Liar", "What a Girl Wants" and "Lovewrecked"]; Channing Tatum ["Coach Carter", "Havoc" and "Supercross"]; Robert Hoffman ["Pirates of the Caribbean", "You Got Served", "Coach Carter" and "Guess Who"]; Laura Ramsey ["Lords of Dogtown", "Inside Out", "Venom" and "Cruel World"]; Vinnie Jones ["Gone in Sixty Seconds", "Swordfish", "Mean Machine" and "Slipstream"] and David Cross ["Waiting for Guffman", "Men in Black I & II", "Scary Movie 2" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"] as Principal Gold.
"SHE'S THE MAN" was .......
directed by Andy Fickman ["Who's Your Daddy?"]; story by Ewan Leslie ["She's the Man"]; cinematography by Greg Gardiner ["The Apocalypse", "Men in Black II", "New York Minute" and "Herbie Fully Loaded"]; original music by Nathan Wang ["Come as You Are" and "Enter the Dragonfly"] production design by David J Bomba ["Safe", "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood", "Secondhand Lions" and "Walk the Line"] and costume design by Katia Stano ["Dark Confessions", "Long Life, Happiness & Prosperity", "My Life Without Me" and "We Don't Live Here Anymore"]. Run Time 106 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - DreamWorks Distribution LLC - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved