March 30, 2006
~Real Review~
She’s the Man
Starring Amanda Bynes, James Kirk, Laura Ramsey, and Channing Tatum.
Rated: PG13 (for some sexual material)
Here are two very different takes on the same movie:
YouthMinistry.com - Review by Brian Belknap
Excerpt: She’s the Man provides goofy ridiculous fun with a wealth of undeniable laughs. Though the initial plot machinations that enable Viola to take Sebastian’s place appear contrived, they come straight from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, so I guess we should go with it. (Hey, it’s passed muster for 400 years, right?) Beyond that, the filmmakers pile on heaps of humor by relying on conflict rather than crass sexual innuendo (even more surprising since it’s a film about gender roles), injecting a kinetic visual and emotional energy that keeps the story zipping along. . . Read more
Planet Wisdom — Review by Christopher Lyon
Excerpt: First of all, is it just me or is every high school student in this movie played by someone in their mid-20s? Only Bynes, nearly 20, looks as if she could still be in high school. I can only assume the rest of these students either have severe glandular problems or are really bad at academics. That would make sense, because the only class any of them actually attend is science lab. And none of them are able to figure out that “Sebastian” is the weirdest looking, talking, walking “dude” ever. Seriously, who would believe Bynes’ performance as a fella? Still, she’s better at looking like a guy than she is at looking like she knows how to play soccer.
Okay, I know all that stuff isn’t the point. It’s about the laughs and the romance, right? After all, this a flick for tween and teen girls. And, yes, there are some yuks buried in this awkward little movie. David Cross is funny as the quite odd headmaster. Some of the twisty situations Viola finds herself in are giggle-worthy. But mostly, it’s just completely unbelievable without being obnoxiously “bad.” Read more.
