Get Ready To Be Obsessed With Mean Girls All Over Again!
Get ready to be obsessed with Mean Girls all over again! This film is an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, which is an adaptation of the 2004 movie, which is actually an adaptation of the book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. Yeah, that’s a mouthful! But the Tina Fey-written film has remained a teen movie staple and solidified its impact in popular culture with its iconic lines, characters, and cast. It was released during peak Lindsay Lohan-aissance and served as a break out for Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried in her feature film debut. Mean Girls tells the story of how Cady Heron finds herself mixed up with the popular girls known as The Plastics at her new high school. But when Cady ends up falling for queen bee Regina George’s ex-boyfriend, she joins forces with outcasts Janis and Damian to take her down, become her, or both. Can she remain true to herself in this jungle they call high school?
Now exactly 20 years later, a brand new cast comes in to usher in the Mean Girls legacy for a new generation… and this time it’s a musical! They update the script and weave in music from the Broadway show perfectly. While about 14 songs from the Broadway show didn’t make the film, they cut the fat and chose the songs that best tell this updated story. The highlights include “A Cautionary Tale” and “Apex Predator” sung by Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey’s Janis and Damian, the hilarious Halloween anthem “Sexy” sung by Avantika’s Karen, powerhouse songs “Someone Gets Hurt” and “World Burn” sung by Reneé Rapp’s Regina George, Cravalho’s solo song “I’d Rather Be Me,” and the confetti-filled ensemble number “Revenge Party.” Through the direction of Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr, the musical numbers feel like you’re stepping into each character’s brain with magical realism, tons of Easter eggs, and fourth wall breaking that is super cheeky and fun.
The North Shore High students that make up the ensemble almost feel like a character in themselves. They bring so much life and energy to the scenes. This cast of young superstars rises to the challenge, but Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey completely and utterly stole the show for me. Not only do they deliver strong vocal performances, but they truly embody Janis 'Imi'ike and Damian Hubbard. Reneé Rapp, who reprises her role from the Broadway production, delivers a more sympathetic portrayal of queen bee Regina with a pop-take to her powerhouse songs. Avantika is hilarious as the hot, but dumb, Karen Shetty. It was refreshing to see a South Asian actor be allowed to play someone silly and hot and not very smart, going against typical stereotypes. I also enjoyed how the film fixed some of the more problematic aspects of the original, like removing Coach Carr’s creep factor.
There are a few weak spots in the film though. While Angourie Rice does a nice job playing a nerdy Cady Heron and her transformation to becoming a Regina clone, her vocals are not the strongest. It was a miss to cast a non-singer like Christopher Briney to play Aaron Samuels and cut all his musical lines. Meanwhile Bebe Wood’s song “What’s Wrong With Me?” also suffers from being awkwardly set up. It could easily be cut and not missed, which is the opposite of what a song is supposed to represent in a musical.
All in all, Mean Girls is an instant musical classic! With great cameos, a more diverse cast, and high energy performances, the film manages to still surprise you with twists and turns that you’re not expecting even though this is a property we all know and love. I will 1000% watch this film over and over again. We may be only two weeks into 2024, but this is the best movie of the new year by far!
Watch Mean Girls playing in theaters and listen to the soundtrack on repeat on all music platforms.
