She's the Man

About She's the Man

She's the Man brings Amanda Bynes as Viola Hastings, a teen girl who loves to play soccer and a dream of playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels. That dream is cut short when her school's team is cut. Meanwhile, her brother Sebastian is set to start at an elite boarding school but instead decides to skip out and head to London with his band. Viola takes this opportunity and decides to cover for her brother, pretending to be him with the help of a stylist friend. With this transformation, she is set to join the boy's team and defeat her former school for getting rid of the girls' team.

Being a sports rom-com, there is also a love triangle between most of the characters that affect Viola as herself and as her brother, as well as her actual brother and new teammates. Things get even more complicated when the real Sebastian unexpectedly returns. With all this drama, will she be able to prove that getting rid of her team was the wrong move? Will this ruin her chances of playing for the Tar Heels? It's all a challenge, but one Viola is willing to take on.

She's the Man's Relation To Sport Business

Gender in sport is a big part of this movie. In real life, we see the challenges women in sport face and that doesn't change in She's the Man. Viola's high school Cornwall, cancels their girls' side soccer team due to lack of funding. As a result, she has to pretend to be a man to be able to play and get her revenge and prove herself as an athlete. It's unfortunate that with her skill this is one of the barriers she has to face and the lengths she has to go to, to continue playing the sport she loves.

If funds were distributed more fairly, we wouldn't see her school's team come to an end. But it's an issue we see in the sports world much too often. One example can be the US Women's National Soccer Team. They are much more successful than the men's side yet are unequally paid. On top of this, they face poorer playing conditions in the likes of playing on artificial turf while the men get it all-natural. Something that led to the women's side starting a lawsuit. It's an issue that needs addressing and hopefully, one-day things can be much more equal.

Why watch She's the Man?

Some might not think that rom-com and sport could work well together, but they do! She's the Man brings gender in sport to the big screen and shows us not to give up. And although it's in a more comedic way than serious, it's still an inspiration for women in sport. Fans of soccer and humour are sure to enjoy this film. And regular lovers of rom-coms may just learn to love the sport of soccer. It's fun for everyone and has the early 2000's nostalgia we all sometimes crave. Give this one a shot on your sports movie list!

Trailer & Extras