Emily Osment,Missi Pyle,Dan Cortese,Kristen Wilson
In Mar Vista, California, widowed Wendy Handler is trying to be all things to her three children, she admits not always successfully. A former Broadway dancer, she gave up her performing career to work in a beauty salon to provide her children a more stable life. Her eldest daughter, Becca Handler, loves soccer, her team, the Mar Vista Galaxy, which used to be coached by her father. Their time together on the field brought a special connection between the two. Their new self-absorbed coach, Kenny, has no rapport with the girls and as such their team is floundering. Becca feels like she has not only lost her father, but her love for the sport which brought them closer as a family. When Kenny announces that he is leaving California, the girls are excited by who he has gotten as a temporary replacement: Lorenzo Vincenzo, arguably the best player in Europe, that is before he sustained his current injury. Wendy, who is tasked with picking Lorenzo up from the airport upon his arrival, learns straight from the horse's mouth that he has no intention of coaching the girls, only telling annoying Kenny such to make him go away. Not wanting Becca to face yet another disappointment at this crucial time in her life and seeing Lorenzo's physical stature and features somewhat matching her own, Wendy comes up with the plan to transform herself into Lorenzo with the help of her salon colleagues, hairdresser Tony da Silva and makeup artist Harry Davies, who also does special effects makeup. Wendy also admits to herself that she is doing this in an effort to be closer to Becca, who is slipping away from her emotionally in Wendy often not being there for her. The physical transformation works. However, Wendy has several other obstacles to overcome to pull off the scheme. First, she has no knowledge of sports whatsoever, this problem which is solved unexpectedly with Tony's help, he who is a soccer fanatic. Second, Lorenzo is a ladies man, which means fending off the amorous attention of some women. Third, she has to ensure that Lorenzo and she are never in the same place at the same time. And fourth, Wendy has to avoid any public meetings with her alter ego. In doing so, Wendy may further come off as the neglectful mother in never being around for practices or games when "Lorenzo" is there. Wendy also comes to the realization that Lorenzo has to leave one day, which she did not consider at the beginning and how losing yet another male role model will affect Becca's life.—Huggo