Synopsis
When her brother decides to ditch for a couple of weeks, Viola heads over to his elite boarding school, disguised as him, and proceeds to fall for his school’s star soccer player, and soon learns she’s not the only one with romantic troubles.
Cast
Amanda Bynes…Viola/Sebastian
Laura Ramsey…Olivia Lennox
Channing Tatum…Duke Orsino
Vinnie Jones… Coach Dinklage
David Cross… Principal Gold
Julie Hagerty…Daphne
Robert Hoffman…Justin
Alexandra Breckenridge…Monique
Jonathan Sadowski…Paul
Amanda Crew…Kia
Jessica Lucas…Yvonne
Brandon Jay McLaren…Toby
Clifton MaCabe Murray…Andrew
James Snyder…Malcolm
James Kirk…Sebastian
Emily Perkins…Eunice
Robert Torti…Coach Pistonek
Lynda Boyd…Cheryl
Best character
It would be a crime to not give this to Viola, but specifically as Sebastian. Genuinely one of the funniest film characters and I love when she first arrives and doesn’t really know how to talk to the guys. Amanda Bynes did an incredible job in this film and she’s definitely one of my favourite comedy actors.
Best supporting character
If Eunice isn’t your favourite supporting character then you are wrong. Sorry to break it to you. The carnival scene where she tells the little girl she sees “a kitten gasping for air” is one of the funniest parts of this film.
I think the actress who plays her is brilliant at comedic timing and Eunice gets so many great one-liners. I especially like ‘I know tricks’ and ‘I made breakfast darling’.
Favourite scenes
*I do not own the rights to any videos in this post, no copyright infringement was intended. All rights go to the production studio*
I love a good montage in a teen film, you really can’t beat them. My favourite part is when Viola is walking behind men and imitating them. I like to think they were just random men who had no idea what was happening, but that’s definitely not the case.
I also like how when Viola is trying on different moustaches with Paul he goes from clean-shaven to having a goatee. There seem to be multiple hair-related ‘goofs’ in this film.
The scene in the pizza parlour has some of the best lines in the entire film and Amanda Bynes is just brilliant. Especially when Sebastian breaks up with Monique.
I like the bathroom fight scene purely because of the ‘you’re messing with the wrong man’ line.
The carnival scene is my favourite in the entire film because it’s so chaotic and it’s accompanied by 4ever by The Veronicas. Viola doesn’t stay as herself or Sebastian for very long, which must have been very tiring. My favourite changing scene is either the bouncy castle or the spinning ride (I don’t know what it’s called).
If you’ve seen She’s The Man, you’ll know why this scene is one of the best.
The football/soccer match is so chaotic it’s actually ridiculous. My favourite part is ‘is it just me or does this soccer game have more nudity than most?’. Surely both Viola and Sebastian would get arrested for public indecency and also if they are in high school aren’t they minors? I don’t know how it works in America.
Best quotes and one liners
This section may get a bit confusing due to Viola and Sebastian being the same person, so I’ve just used which ‘character’ is saying the lines.
VIOLA: What are you talking about? Why are you lying?
JUSTIN: Viola! End of discussion.
VIOLA: FINE. End of relationship.
JUSTIN: Baby, don’t be like that. I just don’t want to see you get hurt.
VIOLA: Aww. You are so full of…
COACH PISTONEK: [whistle blows] Back to practice.
DAPHNE: [after hearing about Viola breaking up with Justin] But why? He’s so handsome, and rugged, and chiseled, and great.
VIOLA: Then why don’t you date him mom?
DAPHNE: [pauses to fantasize and giggles] oh no… I couldn’t.
VIOLA: I just can’t do this.
PAUL: Just remember, inside every girl, there’s a boy. That came out wrong but you know what I mean.
VIOLA: I can do this. I am a dude. I am a hunky dude! I’m a badass hunky dude!
SEBASTIAN: …and when I close my eyes, I see you for who you truly are, which is UUUG-LAY.
SEBASTIAN: Ask me some questions and if the chemistry’s right, things will just start flowin’.
DUKE: Questions about what?
SEBASTIAN: Anything. Ask me if I like… cheese.
DUKE: [laughing] Um, ok. Do you… like… cheese?
SEBASTIAN: [Girl’s voice] Why yes I do. My favourite’s gouda.
DUKE: I like gouda too?
VIOLA: [seating Eunice down at Cesario’s] Lady Pterodactyl
DUKE: [after being left with Eunice in Cesario’s] So, uh, do you… like cheese?
EUNICE: More than almost any other animal by-product.
CHERYL: Viola, darling. Remember, chew like you have a secret…
MALCOLM: I am convinced he’s hiding something.
PRINCIPAL GOLD: Oh, nonsense, Malcolm. He may be a little lost and confused, but deep down he’s an all-american, red-blooded male, just like yourself.
VIOLA: [walking by, dressed as Sebastian, while on the phone] Mom, I will pick out my own dress. And no, I will not wear high heels. Because heels are a male invention designed to make women’s butts look smaller… and to make it harder for them to run away.
PRINCIPAL GOLD: Malcolm, have you ever tried to run away in high heels?
MALCOLM: No, sir, I…
PRINCIPAL GOLD: Not that easy. Not that easy…
EUNICE: [holding a cupcake] I made breakfast darling.
VIOLA’S DAD: Is it just me or does this soccer game have more nudity than most?
Most iconic outfit
I love the dress Viola wears in the nightmare sequence. I always thought Amanda Bynes looked so pretty in this scene.
Best musical moments
This film has an excellent soundtrack. It opens with No Sleep Tonight by The Faders and boy what a song that is. It’s actually on my ‘faves’ playlist, I will admit I don’t know any of their other songs though.
When I tell you that 4ever by The Veronicas is legit one of my favourite songs of all time I would not be lying. The carnival scene is one of my favourites in the whole film and is actually the reason why I love the song so much. I remember liking The Veronicas when I was a kid, but I don’t recall the song ever playing on TV.
She’s The Man features two All American Rejects songs and I flipping love them. Obviously, it has the 2000s teen movie classic Dirty Little Secret, but it also has Move Along which is one of my favourite All American Rejects songs.
As Move Along is the credits song I’m going to include Dirty Little Secret here. It’s the song playing in the football/soccer scene and it’s great.
Final thoughts and fun facts
I’m not even embarrassed to say that She’s The Man is probably my most-watched film of all time. It is my ultimate comfort film and I can pretty much quote it from start to finish.
When holding auditions for the role of Duke, Amanda Bynes fought for the producers to choose Channing Tatum, who at the time had never had a leading film role and was largely unknown in Hollywood. Producers also were concerned that he was significantly older than most of his costars. Tatum credits Bynes with helping him launch his career as an actor.
I’ve never noticed before but Viola is offside when she scores the winning goal. Turns out no one in this film actually knows how to play football because Viola/Sebastian gets taken off the pitch and this means she/he isn’t allowed back in the game. I get that the Illyria coach rips the rule book, but surely the basic rules of football still apply?
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