Queer joy radiates from She’s the He, an intelligent and uplifting high-school comedy debut from writer-director Siobhan McCarthy. It captures the awkwardness and excitement of teenage identity with sincerity, humour and real heart.

Set in the final week of high school, the story follows Alex (Nico Carney) and his best friend Ethan (Misha Osherovich), whose plan to prove they’re not secretly dating quickly spirals out of control. Their decision to pretend to come out as trans — to change their classmates’ assumptions about their relationship status — becomes the starting point for a surprisingly tender exploration of identity, belonging and friendship. As Ethan begins to understand herself in new ways, the film finds real emotional weight beneath its comic set-up.

McCarthy’s direction pours warmth and wit into this story of trans joy. They handle the comedy confidently, knowing when to let a joke breathe and when to allow a moment of stillness to speak for itself. The film is genuinely funny, full of sharp dialogue and well-timed visual humour (largely performed by the charismatic Nico Carney), yet it also holds space for self-realisation and connection. One standout scene uses a plastic shower curtain and dark shadows to spoof women’s locker-room myths. It drew ripples of laughter in the cinema, while showcasing McCarthy’s creative confidence and visual flair.

The animation layered over the live action is one of the film’s defining features for me, and a key reason why I fell so easily into it. Doodles, symbols and words drift across the screen, revealing what characters are thinking or feeling before they can say it. The effect is reminiscent of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, but McCarthy employs it with restraint and purpose. These touches make the emotional subtext visible, keeping the film energetic and open-hearted even in its heavier moments.

Carney and Osherovich are a strong pairing. Their friendship feels lived-in and genuine, with easy chemistry that anchors the film’s emotional core. Carney plays Alex with charm and restless energy, while Osherovich’s quieter performance gives Ethan’s self-recognition a natural depth. Even when the film takes more camp and sensational turns (such as the battle at the film’s climax), both Alex and Ethan remain grounded. Equally strong is Alex’s self-centred (yet touchingly unflustered) reaction to Ethan coming out. Seen within the wider story, where every character is caught up in labels and binaries with little room for fluidity or anonymity, it becomes a powerful moment of gender indifference.

Tatiana Ringsby as Forest adds further perspective, offering both guidance and romance in a way that feels authentic rather than symbolic.

Where, She’s the He feels particularly relevant is in its political undercurrent. McCarthy takes a narrative often twisted by fear — the idea of men pretending to be trans to enter women’s spaces — and turns it into something generous and humane. What begins as a satirical take on that hypothetical becomes a story about community and self-exploration. Rather than echoing reactionary anxiety, McCarthy reframes the situation as an opportunity for growth and connection. The result feels like a direct response to the current discourse around trans identities: honest, funny, and rooted in real human experience rather than abstract fear.

What stands out most is the film’s sense of joy. Made by a cast and crew drawn largely from queer and trans communities, it celebrates LGBTQIA+ identities as essential, unremarkable parts of the world. She’s the He feels entirely in step with modern queer storytelling — funny, heartfelt and visually inventive, but above all, sincere. McCarthy transforms a culture of fear into a story of hope, turning political tension into a celebration of identity, camp and belonging.