She’s the He

Siobhan McCarthy subverts the high school sex comedy with She’s the He, an electrifyingly energetic queer coming-of-age story that brazenly pokes fun at the transgender bathroom panic that’s whipped up a fervour within some online circles. The plot centres around lifelong friends Alex (Nico Carney) and Ethan (Misha Osherovich). Tired of being mistaken as a gay couple throughout high school, Alex hatches what he believes to be a foolproof plan to hook up with his crush, Sasha (Malia Pyles), before they leave for college: pretend to be transgender to get close to her. However, by being cajoled into going along with this scheme, Ethan realises that she may genuinely be trans, a discovery that causes her to question her identity and existing relationships.

Set to an upbeat soundtrack and stylised with scribbled onscreen animations, McCarthy’s feature debut merges the indie charm of Heartstopper with the in-your-face attitude of Hedwig and the Angry Inch to delightful effect. The movie’s high energy is matched only by an unrelenting performance from Carney. The comedian channels the bravado of the male lead of every 2000s raunchy comedy to create a character that makes Jonah Hill in Superbad look polite by comparison. The rest of the humour is just as crass, with many of the gags falling into the realm of shock humour.

For as outlandish as the premise and non-stop sex jokes can be, there is a cleverness to the film. By casting predominantly queer and trans actors (many of whom play cisgender characters), McCarthy playfully deconstructs contemporary filmmaking tropes. Moreover, Carney, being a transgender man playing a cis boy pretending to be a girl itself functions as a meta-joke. Underneath it all, though, is a thoughtful exploration of gender identity that’s carried by a wonderful turn from Osherovich, who brings a great deal of heart and authenticity to their portrayal of Ethan.

Amongst all the innuendo, gross-out gags, and a satirical depiction of transgender fearmongering that’s fittingly accompanied by the camp anthem Time Warp, McCarthy delivers a tremendously touching coming-of-age comedy about friendship and identity. She’s the He is the definitive high school comedy for the modern generation.

Andy Murray

She’s the He does not have a release date yet.

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