She's the Man: Difference between revisions

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''She's the Man'' is a 2006 teenaged [[Romantic Comedy]] starring Amanda Bynes (''[[The Amanda Show]]'') and [[Mr. Fanservice|Channing Tatum]]. Not a critically acclaimed film (then again many romantic teen films are generally not), it bears some resemblance to ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', clearly an attempt to capitalize on the success of ''[[Ten Things I Hate About You]]'' which updated ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''. While not as close of a [[High School AU]] as ''[[Ten Things I Hate About You]]'' was to its source material (nor as big of an success) it has its moments.
''She's the Man'' is a 2006 teenaged [[Romantic Comedy]] starring Amanda Bynes (''[[The Amanda Show]]'') and [[Mr. Fanservice|Channing Tatum]]. Not a critically acclaimed film (then again many romantic teen films are generally not), it bears some resemblance to ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', clearly an attempt to capitalize on the success of ''[[Ten Things I Hate About You]]'' which updated ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''. While not as close of a [[High School AU]] as ''[[Ten Things I Hate About You]]'' was to its source material (nor as big of an success) it has its moments.


Basically, [[Tomboy]] Viola (Amanda Bynes) is intensely into soccer, so much that when her school, Cornwall, cancels the girl's soccer team and refuses to let her play on the boy's soccer team she hatches a [[Sweet Polly Oliver|brilliant plan to show them and her JerkAss ex-boyfriend that a girl can play just as well as a boy.]] Basically, Viola has a twin brother, Sebastian (James Kirk, no not [[Names the Same|that one]]), [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief|to whom we can pretend she is similar in appearance,]] and this brother has decided to run off to London for two weeks to play with his rock band just before he is to start at Corwall's rival school, Illyria. The perfect timing for Viola to pretend to be her twin at his new school and play soccer on their boy's team. [[Contrived Coincidence]]? We think not!
Basically, [[Tomboy]] Viola (Amanda Bynes) is intensely into soccer, so much that when her school, Cornwall, cancels the girl's soccer team and refuses to let her play on the boy's soccer team she hatches a [[Sweet Polly Oliver|brilliant plan to show them and her JerkAss ex-boyfriend that a girl can play just as well as a boy.]] Basically, Viola has a twin brother, Sebastian (James Kirk, no not [[Name's the Same|that one]]), [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief|to whom we can pretend she is similar in appearance,]] and this brother has decided to run off to London for two weeks to play with his rock band just before he is to start at Corwall's rival school, Illyria. The perfect timing for Viola to pretend to be her twin at his new school and play soccer on their boy's team. [[Contrived Coincidence]]? We think not!


With the help of a [[Pet Homosexual|Gay Best Friend]], Viola becomes Sebastian!Viola, enters Illyria, and [[A Worldwide Punomenon|voilà!]] (the pesky problem of how their parents aren't realizing what's going on is that Illyria is a boarding school and the parents are divorced, so both Viola and Sebastian simply tell each that they are staying with the other, because [[Fridge Logic|it's not like divorced parents ever call each other to care for their children.]]) Her roommate is Duke, the eventual [[Love Interest]], [[Captain Obvious|obviously]] but Sebastian!Viola has problems at first because of Sebastian's permanent record (he's a troublemaker, what can we say) and the fact that Viola is still a girl. Eventually with the sprinkling of [[Magical Queer]] magic, Sebastian!Viola is accepted into Duke's group of friends but is still second string for the boys soccer team.
With the help of a [[Pet Homosexual|Gay Best Friend]], Viola becomes Sebastian!Viola, enters Illyria, and [[A Worldwide Punomenon|voilà!]] (the pesky problem of how their parents aren't realizing what's going on is that Illyria is a boarding school and the parents are divorced, so both Viola and Sebastian simply tell each that they are staying with the other, because [[Fridge Logic|it's not like divorced parents ever call each other to care for their children.]]) Her roommate is Duke, the eventual [[Love Interest]], [[Captain Obvious|obviously]] but Sebastian!Viola has problems at first because of Sebastian's permanent record (he's a troublemaker, what can we say) and the fact that Viola is still a girl. Eventually with the sprinkling of [[Magical Queer]] magic, Sebastian!Viola is accepted into Duke's group of friends but is still second string for the boys soccer team.
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* [[Compressed Hair]]: Viola's long, thick hair somehow fits underneath a fairly short wig. While any cosplayer can tell you it's possible with a wig cap and hair grips, Viola's shown to wear the wig directly on top of her hair.
* [[Compressed Hair]]: Viola's long, thick hair somehow fits underneath a fairly short wig. While any cosplayer can tell you it's possible with a wig cap and hair grips, Viola's shown to wear the wig directly on top of her hair.
* [[Different As Night and Day]]
* [[Different As Night and Day]]
* [[Eek a Mouse]]
* [[Eek! A Mouse!]]
* [[Mr. Fanservice]]: Channing Tatum, who spends a lot of the movie without a shirt on.
* [[Mr. Fanservice]]: Channing Tatum, who spends a lot of the movie without a shirt on.
* [[Everyone Loves Blondes]]: Olivia Lennox has Duke and Malcolm chasing her and the rest of the guys admiring her but she would rather have the honest Sebastian.
* [[Everyone Loves Blondes]]: Olivia Lennox has Duke and Malcolm chasing her and the rest of the guys admiring her but she would rather have the honest Sebastian.
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* [[Gretzky Has the Ball]]: Sebastian!Viola convincing the coach to put her back into play after the real Sebastian had been substituted.
* [[Gretzky Has the Ball]]: Sebastian!Viola convincing the coach to put her back into play after the real Sebastian had been substituted.
* [[Groin Attack]]: When Viola gets hit by the soccer ball. Could also be a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]
* [[Groin Attack]]: When Viola gets hit by the soccer ball. Could also be a [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]
* [[Half Identical Twins]]: Viola can get away with looking like Sebastian, but she clearly is...er...a girl.
* [[Half-Identical Twins]]: Viola can get away with looking like Sebastian, but she clearly is...er...a girl.
* [[High School AU]]: Of [[Twelfth Night]].
* [[High School AU]]: Of [[Twelfth Night]].
* [[Hilarity Ensues]]: Everything gets messed up just in time for the climax at the soccer game. It's [[Shakespeare]]. Seriously.
* [[Hilarity Ensues]]: Everything gets messed up just in time for the climax at the soccer game. It's [[Shakespeare]]. Seriously.
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* [[Mythology Gag]]: Numerous references to lines from the original play come up, either slightly altered ("You're weaving a really tangled web here") or direct ("Some have greatness thrust upon them"). And although Malvolio's character in the original play is replaced by a guy named Malcolm, Malcolm's pet tarantula is named Malvolio.
* [[Mythology Gag]]: Numerous references to lines from the original play come up, either slightly altered ("You're weaving a really tangled web here") or direct ("Some have greatness thrust upon them"). And although Malvolio's character in the original play is replaced by a guy named Malcolm, Malcolm's pet tarantula is named Malvolio.
* [[No Periods Period]]: The tampax moment. One of the most hilarious parts of the movie.
* [[No Periods Period]]: The tampax moment. One of the most hilarious parts of the movie.
* [[Out of Character Moment]]
* [[Out-of-Character Moment]]
* [[Pair the Spares]]: Olivia and Sebastian? They don't know each other and Viola just gets them together at the end of the soccer game.
* [[Pair the Spares]]: Olivia and Sebastian? They don't know each other and Viola just gets them together at the end of the soccer game.
** Taken straight from [[Twelfth Night|the source material]] in all fairness. Made just as little sense there, but still, it's the genre.
** Taken straight from [[Twelfth Night|the source material]] in all fairness. Made just as little sense there, but still, it's the genre.
*** In some ways it makes ''more'' sense than the source material. Introducing your brother to your friend who you think will be good for him and then them going to a party together is rather less silly than the actual marriage that happens in the play.
*** In some ways it makes ''more'' sense than the source material. Introducing your brother to your friend who you think will be good for him and then them going to a party together is rather less silly than the actual marriage that happens in the play.
* [[Paper Thin Disguise]]: It's fairly [[Captain Obvious|obvious]], when Sebastian and Viola are on screen together, that no-one could possibly confuse them for the same person.
* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: It's fairly [[Captain Obvious|obvious]], when Sebastian and Viola are on screen together, that no-one could possibly confuse them for the same person.
** [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] and [[Justified Trope|justified]] in the beginning. No one at the school had ''seen'' Sebastian before. Afterwards, that's a little less plausible.
** [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] and [[Justified Trope|justified]] in the beginning. No one at the school had ''seen'' Sebastian before. Afterwards, that's a little less plausible.
* [[Pet Homosexual]]: Paul.
* [[Pet Homosexual]]: Paul.

Revision as of 09:59, 9 January 2014

Duke wants Olivia who likes Sebastian who is really Viola whose brother is dating Monique so she hates Olivia who's with Duke to make Sebastian jealous who is really Viola who's crushing on Duke who thinks she's a guy...
—Tagline for the movie

She's the Man is a 2006 teenaged Romantic Comedy starring Amanda Bynes (The Amanda Show) and Channing Tatum. Not a critically acclaimed film (then again many romantic teen films are generally not), it bears some resemblance to Twelfth Night, clearly an attempt to capitalize on the success of Ten Things I Hate About You which updated The Taming of the Shrew. While not as close of a High School AU as Ten Things I Hate About You was to its source material (nor as big of an success) it has its moments.

Basically, Tomboy Viola (Amanda Bynes) is intensely into soccer, so much that when her school, Cornwall, cancels the girl's soccer team and refuses to let her play on the boy's soccer team she hatches a brilliant plan to show them and her JerkAss ex-boyfriend that a girl can play just as well as a boy. Basically, Viola has a twin brother, Sebastian (James Kirk, no not that one), to whom we can pretend she is similar in appearance, and this brother has decided to run off to London for two weeks to play with his rock band just before he is to start at Corwall's rival school, Illyria. The perfect timing for Viola to pretend to be her twin at his new school and play soccer on their boy's team. Contrived Coincidence? We think not!

With the help of a Gay Best Friend, Viola becomes Sebastian!Viola, enters Illyria, and voilà! (the pesky problem of how their parents aren't realizing what's going on is that Illyria is a boarding school and the parents are divorced, so both Viola and Sebastian simply tell each that they are staying with the other, because it's not like divorced parents ever call each other to care for their children.) Her roommate is Duke, the eventual Love Interest, obviously but Sebastian!Viola has problems at first because of Sebastian's permanent record (he's a troublemaker, what can we say) and the fact that Viola is still a girl. Eventually with the sprinkling of Magical Queer magic, Sebastian!Viola is accepted into Duke's group of friends but is still second string for the boys soccer team.

Enter Olivia who becomes Sebastian!Viola's lab partner, though Duke has a massive crush on her. Duke, who has issues talking to girls, tells Sebastian!Viola this and asks for her his her help. And so begins the Love Dodecahedron as described in the poster (see above)


The film contains examples of: