If you paid attention in English class or if you're a theater fan, you may have realized that "She's the Man" feels somewhat familiar. That's because the movie is actually based on the famous Shakespeare play "Twelfth Night."
In "Twelfth Night," Viola dresses as a man after a shipwreck. She ends up working for Duke Orsino and helps him win the heart of the beautiful widow, Olivia. Just like in "She's the Man," Viola and Duke fall in love, while Olivia develops feelings for Viola.
While the main plot of "She's the Man" follows that of "Twelfth Night," there are plenty of references to the play throughout the film, too. For instance, in "Twelfth Night," Viola calls herself Cesario. In "She's the Man," the characters constantly eat at Cesario's. In "Twelfth Night," Olivia's servant, Malvolio, is in love with her. In "She's the Man," this character becomes Malcolm — his pet spider, however, is called Malvolio. Plus, in "Twelfth Night," Viola finds herself in a land called Illyria — in "She's the Man," this becomes the name of her school. It's no wonder Business Insider Australia called this movie "the greatest modern Shakespearean remake!"
