JUWANNA MANN
In the noble tradition of Some Like It Hot, Tootsie, Mrs.
Doubtfire, and Big Momma's House is this film from Jesse Vaughan
(whose only previous directing experience was a Paula Abdul VH1 documentary)
about a male who's exiled from his sexist throne and must shoehorn himself into
a women's world in order to redeem himself. In this case, the arrogant SOB is
Jamal Jefferies (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.), a pro basketball player
(in a NBA parallel universe) who won't pass the ball and pisses off everyone
from his teammates to the league's brass. It all comes crashing down when Jamal
exposes himself courtside and gets an indefinite suspension. Not even the bush
leagues will have him, so he dons a jog bra and wig and takes his game to the
"hack" women's league (the WNBA parallel universe) under the title name. There
he learns to pass and to respect women. He even falls for the team's captain
(Vivica A. Fox).
A lot of the cross-dressing humor falls flat, especially from Kevin Pollak as
Jamal/Juwanna's agent, but the moral about teamwork and walking a mile in the
other person's shoes scores occasionally, albeit after a lot of
double-dribbling. Núñez carries the slight material, and Tommy
Davidson, as a back-up rap singer named Puff Smokey Smoke, nails every hammy
line professing his lust for the Juwanna she-man. At the Hoyts and Showcase
cinemas.
Issue Date: June 27 - July 4, 2002
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