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SCMP Reporter

She's The Man is a contemporary version of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night with a football twist.

The result: a romantic comedy that is unbelievably silly but highly entertaining.

Viola, played by comedian and former Nickelodeon host Amanda Bynes, is a high school girl crazy about football.

Frustrated by her school's decision to drop its girls' football programme, she disguises herself as her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk) - who is on a trip to London to perform with his rock band - so that she can join his school's elite football team.

But her bold action results in a love triangle, in which she falls for handsome roommate Duke (Channing Tatum), whose love interest Olivia (Laura Ramsey) is in turn attracted to Viola.

As Sebastian returns from his long holiday, things come to a hilarious end on the football pitch.

The plot is, in Shakespeare's words, 'the stuff of dreams'.

And our disbelief is suspended to the point of extreme silliness as we watch Bynes play football - a sport that guarantees physical contact - with a hunk, share the same bedroom and bathroom with him and still manage not to be exposed as a girl?

Fortunately, in the film's defence, Bynes delivers an engaging and energetic performance that makes up for all the holes.

There are lots of hilarious moments and gags related to adolescent romance - a subject that particularly appeals to teenage girls, the movie's target audience.

The funniest moment comes when the school's quirky headmaster marches onto the pitch during a match and demands that Sebastian prove his gender.

She's The Man is the kind of movie that reminds you how nice it is to be young.

The fairytale ending is unconvincing, but deep down we all cheer for this lovable girl.

She dares to put everything on the line to pursue her simple and noble dream - a fine lesson for

us all.

She's The Man opens today



She's The Man