IT'S A BOY/GIRL THING

Starring:
Samaire Armstrong, Kevin Zegers, Emily Hampshire, Brooke D'Orsay, Robert Joy, Sharon Osbourne, Maury Chaykin and Sherry Miller

Director:
Nick Hurran

Running Time:
95 mins

Out to buy on DVD 21/05/07

"That's it, you are so breaking up with Breanna"

Neighbours Nell (Armstrong) and Woody (Zegers) might have lived next door to each other all their lives but that doesn't mean to say that they like each other. Woody is the High School quarterback and all round jock, whereas Nell is the school brain that everyone ignores and makes fun of. As the two continue to argue during a visit to the local museum, an ancient Mayan statue of the god of sorcery takes grievance and casts a spell on the both of them. When they wake the following morning, Nell and Woody realise that they have swapped bodies.

Body swapping comedies have been Hollywood stable for decades so what can 'It's a Boy/Girl Thing' do differently?

There is absolutely nothing new with the premise of two people swapping bodies. Throughout movie history this has been done so many times that 'It's a Boy/Girl Thing' had the problem of a prospective audience thinking, "Oh, its just another body swap movie" but while the premise is nothing new the executive is pretty good.

What makes 'It's a Boy/Girl Thing' stand out from the rest of films of this ilk is the performances of its two leading players, Samaire Armstrong and Kevin Zegers. Samaire Armstrong has made a career of playing best friends and supporting roles on TV and film but no she finally gets the chance to shine. As Nell/Woody she gets to play essentially two roles and plays them very differently. As Woody in Nell's body, she does everything that every man would do and go through if they woke up as a woman. Kevin Zegers also shines again, as he did in 'Transamerica', capturing the emotional and even repulsed reaction of a girl trapped in a man's body. Having to deal with many things like male camaraderie and morning glory, he gets to show how the feminine would cope with the excessive masculinity of the school's biggest jock. Both of these performances make the movie much better than it should have been.

The story itself is absolutely nothing new. From an ancient statue cursing the two bickering neighbours, to them having to work together and the inevitable finale, this is a plot device that does have comedic potential however. The usual body swapping conundrums are abundant as Nell and Woody get used to their new bodies but you also see how they interact with their friends and school mates, which of course is seen from a new prospective.

Produced by Elton John's new company Rocket Films, 'It's a Boy/Girl Thing' might not bring anything new to the overused premise but it does highlight the talents of Samaire Armstrong and Kevin Zegers. With a cameo by Sharon Osbourne and some decent support from the rest of the cast, this is a movie that is better than it should have been but not one that you would easily swap your time with.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented well highlighting the excellent special effects.

BONUS FEATURES

Are you more boy or girl?
An interactive quiz to see if you are more boy or girl in your attitude towards life

History of the Aztec Statue
Read the history of the Tezcaslipoca Aztec statue that transforms Nell and Woody

Featurette (6.56 mins)
Director Nick Hurran, producers David Furnish, executive producer Elton John and stars Samaire Armstrong, Kevin Zegers, Brooke D'Orsay, Mpho Koaho and Sharon Osbourne talk about making 'It's a Boy/Girl Thing'. The group talk about making a different kind of body-swap comedy and the stars talk about the problems in acting like a boy/girl.

Cast Biographies
With interview with Samaire Armstrong and Kevin Zegers, where they talk about their characters and working on the film and then read their biographies to find out what films and TV shows they have starred in and a bit about their backgrounds.

Theatrical Trailer
Watch the preview that showcased the film in cinemas and online

Rom Content
Insert the DVD into your PC and get access to exclusive wallpapers and instant message buddy icons

Coming Soon
Previews of 'Starter for Ten' and 'Bridge to Terebithia'

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'It's a Boy/Girl Thing' is decidingly average. The featurette is very short and lack of a commentary track will come as a disappointment to the fans.

DVD

Freaky Friday


The Usher Home | Hush, Hush... | The Big Story | The Usher Speaks

Stuck @ Home | Coming Soon | Links | Contact the Usher

2006