The 2024 Mean Girls film was released on January 12th, but even before its release, the film gained a lot of attention and stirred up some intense discussion. After having viewed the film for myself, I have a lot to discuss as well, but for me to give a proper review of this film, it is important to understand where this new version came from and why it was made.
In 2002, a book titled “Queen Bees and Wannabes” was written and released by Rosalind Wiseman. Just one year later, in 2003, Tina Fey wrote the screenplay for the iconic film, “Mean Girls.” In 2018, the Broadway musical adaptation of this story opened its curtains to fans of the film and fans of musical theater alike. Now, 20 years from its original release, “Mean Girls” has hit movie theaters once again, but this time, it looks a bit different. It is important to note that, contrary to popular belief, the new “Mean Girls” movie is not a reboot or remake of the original film from the 2000s, but rather an adaptation of the Broadway musical version of this classic story.
Much of the debate I saw online before watching the film left me with no choice but to have an open mind when it came time for me to view the movie. I went in knowing that fans of the film were upset by what they thought was supposed to be a reboot or remake as well as knowing that fans of the Broadway version were happy to see it finally adapted on film, as it had a relatively short run on Broadway. I had seen the original film but knew that this was not meant to be a repeat of the original. I also would consider myself an avid musical theater fan, but I was not too familiar with the “Mean Girls” musical, aside from a few of the songs from the soundtrack.
Once the movie began, I was caught off guard, as I am sure a lot of other people were by the fact that it begins in Kenya, rather than in Cady Heron’s house like it does in the original film. As time progressed, I realized this choice was intentionally made, along with many other choices, to help separate the new musical version from the original film.
After moving from Kenya, Cady, who is played by Angourie Rice, finds herself excited to have her first high school experience. However, she of course is in for a rude awakening when she finds out not everyone is as welcoming as she may have hoped. She befriends Janis, played by Auliʻi Cravalho, and Damian, played by Jaquel Spivey, after they notice her struggling to find her place. Soon after, the iconic Regina George, played by Reneé Rapp who starred in the role on Broadway at age 19, makes her first appearance in “Meet the Plastics” with her stunning and effortless vocals. Reneé Rapp absolutely embodies Regina George and the connection she had with this character on Broadway is made immediately clear the moment she appears on the screen.
Even if you did not enjoy the films take on modern internet culture or high school social status, there is no denying that the cast was filled with major talent. From Reneé Rapp, to Auliʻi Cravalho, the film was laced with talented, well-known actors. As someone who has an appreciation for vocal talent especially, I was captivated by the talent and vocal abilities of the cast. Although some of the production choices were not necessarily my favorite when it came to the soundtrack, I appreciated the films creative efforts to make their own changes to the original Broadway soundtrack.
My personal favorite song and scene in the film would have to be “Someone Gets Hurt.” In this song, Rapp’s vocal talent was showcased along with the cast’s talent. I am someone who really enjoys intricate choreography and lighting and that is exactly what happened in the scene. The choices made in this scene had an effect that left me feeling as though I was experiencing a performance that was intended to be on a stage, which is something that I feel a lot of movie adaptations of Broadway shows lack. There is just something so special about the feeling of watching a story unfold on stage through movement and lighting that films do not often capture.
After having watched the “Dear Evan Hansen” musical movie adaptation, I had decided that Broadway musicals would be best left on stage, and if there is a desire to have them on the big screen, they should be released as professionally shot performances. Even after having seen “Mean Girls,” I still standby this opinion.
However, I was not as disappointed by the “Mean Girls” movie as I thought I would be. In fact, I got exactly what I wanted from it. I got to relive viewing iconic moments, but this time with a musical theater twist, which I personally always appreciate. Along with this, I also got to see a newer perspective. This adaptation notably has a much more diverse cast than the original and has positive representation laced throughout the film. I appreciated the small cameos and nods at the film’s history. Iconic lines were kept, some of the original cast members from both the films and the Broadway adaptation made appearances, and overall, I think they went about creating this film in a way that showed respect to all previous versions of the story and those who were involved.
Sources:
“Mean Girls.” IMDb, IMDb.Com, 12 Jan. 2024, www.imdb.com/title/tt11762114/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2024.
Pereira, Sergio. “The History behind Mean Girls You Might Not Know About.” Looper, 12 Apr. 2022, www.looper.com/829702/the-history-behind-mean-girls-you-might-not-know-about/. Accessed 17 Jan. 2024.
Nora Lee is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].
