"JUWANNA MANN"
(2002) (Miguel A. Nuņez, Jr., Vivica A. Fox) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Minor	Heavy	None	None
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	None	*Mild	Moderate
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	None	None	Mild	Mild

---

QUICK TAKE:

Comedy: After being kicked out of professional basketball for being an egotistical jerk, a male player takes on the look and persona of a woman so that he can join the ladies league and continue playing.

PLOT:

Jamal Jeffries (MIGUEL A. NUŅEZ, JR.) is a star pro basketball player for the Charlotte Beat. He's also an egotistical jerk who doesn't believe in teamwork, and his latest antics get him kicked out of the league. After his possessions are reposed, his girlfriend leaves him, and his agent, Lorne Daniels (KEVIN POLLAK), refuses to help him anymore, Jamal goes to stay with his Aunt Ruby (JENIFER LEWIS) who tries to talk some sense into him.

That doesn't work, but Jamal gets an idea about how to play again while watching a girl holding her own against some boys on a neighborhood court. Calling Lorne to set up a tryout for a "friend" of his with Coach Rivers (ANNIE CORLEY) of the Charlotte Banshees in the women's league, Jamal shows up dressed as Juwanna Mann and fools everyone into believing he's a large and rather unattractive, but talented female player.

Team captain Michelle Langford (VIVICA A. FOX) is none too happy that Juwanna has been added to the team or made a starter when one of the other players suffers an injury. It gets worse when Juwanna hogs the ball and wins the game by his/herself. Eventually, however, Juwanna wins over Michelle and the rest of the team. He/she also unwittingly ends up on a double date with Michelle and her singer boyfriend, Romeo (GINUWINE), and his obnoxious friend, Puff Smokey Smoke (TOMMY DAVIDSON), who hits on Juwanna, unaware that she's really a he.

As the team goes on a sudden winning streak, Jamal is forced to take more creative steps to protect his identity while posing as Juwanna. He also finds himself falling for Michelle, but keeps pressuring Lorne to get him back into the men's league, all while learning to become a better man while posing as a woman. With the playoffs approaching and his popularity as Juwanna increasing, Jamal must decide what to do and with which of his identities.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

If they're into basketball (especially women's) or are fans of anyone in the cast or cross-dressing comedies, they just might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For language and sex-related material.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

MIGUEL A. NUŅEZ, JR. plays a pro basketball player whose ego is so unchecked and attitude so bad that he's kicked out of the game. In response, he poses as a woman and deceives others so that he can play in the women's league where he eventually adopts a change of attitude. He also uses some profanity.

VIVICA A. FOX plays his teammate who initially isn't happy with Juwanna joining the team, but eventually befriends her.

KEVIN POLLAK plays Jamal's greedy agent who uses some profanity.

TOMMY DAVIDSON plays a fast-talking guy who dresses like a pimp and constantly hits on Juwanna, unaware that she's really a he.

JENIFER LEWIS plays Jamal's aunt who gives him advice about how to live life.

GINUWINE plays Michelle's cad of a boyfriend who's cheating on her.

ANNIE CORLEY plays the team's coach who tries to get Juwanna and Michelle to get along so that the team can win.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

---

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

---

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of various expletives (bleeped out "f" words, along with heard "s" words and more), while colorful phrases and all sorts of sexually related talk are present (along with some sexually related gestures and movements).

Sexually related humor is present as is some brief and unwelcome groping, while some partial nudity is seen (bare butts), as are various scantily clad women. A man and woman are briefly seen cavorting under the covers while fooling around or having sex, but no details are seen.

Various characters drink (one to the point of being inebriated) and/or have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while some brief scatological material is present, as are various instances of imitative behavior. Meanwhile, violence consists of a few people punching or striking others and other less volatile material.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

---

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Jamal drinks at a party along with others.

Various people drink in a bar.

Juwanna tells a waiter to bring him a cosmopolitan, heavy on the vodka, and to keep pouring them (in response to being on an unexpected date with Puff). Romeo orders champagne and we then see Juwanna downing his drinks (and we see him drinking even more later).

Some of the players drink wine or liquor.

Michelle and Juwanna have wine.

BLOOD/GORE

We hear Jamal urinating (while standing at a restaurant urinal dressed like Juwanna). He then belches and farts while standing there.

We see a scene where the female players pick up various menstrual products in a store and Juwanna looks unsure of what to do.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Jamal is an egotistical and disrespectful pro basketball player who isn't a team player and is confrontational and disrespectful of others. He also uses a stamp to give his "autograph" (rather than taking the time to sign his name) and flirts with other women in front of his girlfriend.

To protest being kicked off his team, Jamal strips down in front of the stadium crowd and taunts those in attendance with his nudity.

Jamal's girlfriend states that she only stayed with him because he was rich and famous.

We see Romeo take a card from another woman while dancing with Michelle. Later, Michelle comes home to find Romeo moving around under the covers with another woman and saying (to the woman in bed) to hold on and that they're almost finished.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

None.

GUNS/WEAPONS

None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "More sh*t than a bunny rabbit on Ex-Lax," "You suck," "Chump," "Three skank-a-teers" (what Jamal's girlfriend calls some women at a party who are fawning over him), "Scrawny ass," "What the hell /do you mean I'm broke/you been doing with all my money?" "Lying, cheating ass," "Broke ass," "Crazy ass," "Freaky," "Bitch," "Big ass," "Knucklehead," "Hell, yes," "What the hell /are you/are you doing/is happening to me?" "We're screwed," "Balls" (testicles), "Get the hell out of here," "Back your ass up," "Cut the crap," "Busting my ass," Friggin'" and "Let's kick some butt."

To protest being kicked off his team, Jamal strips down in front of the stadium crowd and taunts those in attendance with his nudity.

Jamal dresses in women's clothing and pretends to be a woman.

As Jamal dances around while trying on women's clothing (he's in a bra), he does some pelvic thrusting.

Puff has gold caps on his front teeth and dresses like a pimp.

A few players have tattoos.

Juwanna showers with her/his clothes on, saying she's/he's superstitious. Later, we see the other women doing the same.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

Some rap songs had lyrics that we couldn't understand, thus offering the potential for possible objectionable material being in them. One song did have the lyric, "Shake your ass" that's repeated several times.

PROFANITY

At least 3 bleeped out "f" words (2 that started with "mother"), 7 "s" words, 3 slang terms for breasts ("t*tties" and "boobs"), 20 asses, 12 hells, 5 damns, 1 crap, 5 uses each of "Oh Lord" and "Oh my God," 3 of "Oh my Lord," 2 of "Lord" and 1 use each of "God" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

We briefly see a street banner/advertisement showing an image of a man and woman in an embrace that shows their bare butts from the side.

To protest being kicked off his team, Jamal removes his jersey and throws it at the coach. He then pulls his pants down (in front of the stadium crowd) and we see his bare butt in his jock strap. He then removes the jock strap (we now see his entire bare butt) and shoots it up into the crowd. As he dances around naked, a woman in the crowd admiringly smiles at him as he yells out for everyone to say hello to his "friend" (referring to his privates).

We see various scantily clad women at a party at Jamal's place, including some in very small bikinis who show varying amounts of cleavage and other skin, and three blonde women who do some suggestive dancing around him.

Jamal's girlfriend shows some cleavage.

After seeing a woman in a commercial saying, "Get ready to rumble," Jamal states, "I'll rumble with you all night long."

Jamal's girlfriend states that she's leaving and that the only reason she stayed with him was because he was rich and famous. He then asks about the good loving she was getting, prompting her to laugh and say that she packed that and all of the batteries too (a vibrator reference).

One of Jamal's aunt's older friends feels him up while seated next to him and suggestively licks her tongue at him, while another older friend removes her bra from under her shirt (we don't see anything).

As Jamal dances around while trying on women's clothing (he's in a bra), he does some pelvic thrusting. Once dressed as Juwanna, his/her fake breasts bounce around a lot underneath his/her shirt. We then see him adjusting his crotch area while wearing shorts.

As Lorne struggles with Jamal (dressed as Juwanna and bent over a fax machine) from behind, a woman walks into Lorne's office and it looks to her as if something sexual is going on (especially since Lorne is saying "give it to me," although everyone is dressed).

Jamal states that Lorne can find him in the women's locker room "checking out booties."

Some lesbian comments and innuendo are made.

Puff states that there isn't anything sexier than "a woman with ball control" (double entendre).

One of Jamal's falsies (fake, rubbery breasts) flips through the air and sticks on a window.

Jamal, dressed as Juwanna, walks past the ladies shower, steps back, looks in and says, "Boy, I like this league" (he sees them naked, but we don't).

Jamal keeps adjusting his fake breasts.

Michelle shows some cleavage.

A cop pulls over Jamal (dressed as Juwanna) who tells him that he had an operation (sex change). The cop then says "You no longer have a..." and "Now you have a..." (meaning male and female genitals). The male cop then suddenly states that he's going to have a sex change operation too.

After Michelle pats Juwanna (Jamal) on the butt for passing the ball, he then goes around and aggressively pats the other female players on their clothed butts, and then puts his hands on two of their butts in a huddle.

We see some female players showering (but don't see anything explicit beyond a woman's bare back) and then see Juwanna showering while still in her game uniform.

Michelle shows some cleavage and then even more when she wants Juwanna to rub some lotion on her (and she lowers her camisole top). She then states that she gets so stiff after the games and asks if he does. He replies that he's starting to (meaning he's getting aroused from rubbing lotion on her).

Aunt Ruby knowingly asks Jamal what Michelle is going to do when she discovers that he has "an extra piece of equipment between your legs."

Puff feels Juwanna's clothed butt while having her sit in a restaurant.

After seeing that Juwanna is drinking quite a bit, Puff and Romeo make eye contact and Puff pokes his tongue against his own cheek in an oral sex gesture.

We hear Jamal urinating (while standing at a restaurant urinal dressed like Juwanna). Some man then stands next to him and smiles (prompting Jamal to fart to send him the wrong signal).

As Romeo indicates he's going to stay with Michelle overnight, he tells Puff and Juwanna to be safe and hands Puff a packaged condom (saying, "You know what I mean"). Puff then takes Juwanna home and wants to come inside, but she won't let him (stating, "You're not getting inside me or the house").

A comment is made about "tap that ass." Juwanna then gives some advice to the women and states that she/he isn't "easy" and comments are then made about pillow talk, and then about a guy saying money's no object meaning that if he spends money, when he gets home he wants sex. He/she then goes on about men worrying about the size of "their manhood," and then adds that they know it "Ain't the size of the boat, baby, but the motion of the ocean." The other women don't agree, with one saying she wants the Titanic.

Michelle comes home to find Romeo moving around under the covers with another woman and saying (to the woman in bed) to hold on and that they're almost finished.

After it's suddenly revealed that Juwanna is really Jamal, Puff says it doesn't make any difference and states that he stills loves Juwanna. A foreign player then comments that in her country a penis is okay and states that her mother had a penis.

We see some more scantily clad women in the outtakes as well as a shot of a person coming up behind Juwanna (who's bent over) and humping her rear end. Some comments are then made about Jamal's fake breasts and him wanting others to feel them.

SMOKING

None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

How Jamal learns that he's better as a team player than an egotistical & selfish one.

Men who dress as women or vice-versa.

VIOLENCE

Aunt Ruby grabs Jamal by his ear (in a motherly way).

Juwanna knocks down a female player during practice.

Jamal (dressed as Juwanna) and Lorne briefly struggle over a fax machine.

Juwanna hits Puff's roving hand with her purse.

Juwanna hits or knees Puff in the crotch (causing him to bend over in pain).

Juwanna punches Romeo in the face and knocks him out (for cheating on Michelle).

Juwanna accidentally shatters the backboard when dunking the basketball.

In the outtakes, Jamal picks up a large vase and purposefully breaks it.

Reviewed May 30, 2002 / Posted June 21, 2002

Other new and recent reviews include:

Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

All Rights Reserved,
©1996-2022 Screen It, Inc.