Mean Girls 2024: We Saw It…Here’s What We Think!

Okayyyy, we saw a sneak peek of the new Mean Girls movie and now we are allowed to talk about it! Sooo, this isn't a Mean Girls reboot. It's not a sequel either, that was a goddamn mess, did you see Mean Girls 2? Mean Girls 2024 (twenty years after the original film) is the movie version of the Broadway musical. Even though the trailers didn't really allude to it being a full-fledged musical, it certainly is. The movie opens with a definite musical opener and expands to showing Cady Heron (originally played by Lindsday Lohan) singing her guts out in the fields of Kenya. Yeah, there is no mistaking that this is a musical. To be honest, we went in wanting to hate it, expecting to hate it...and it ended up being pretty fun. It won't win any Oscars, but it was a fun ride and a surprisingly fresh take on the story.

First of all, let's get the musical portion out of the way. If you saw the Broadway show you know it had issues. Script, meh. Music, meh. To put you at ease, they deleted seven songs from the stage musical. Phew. The music that is left makes sense, there's only one song towards the end that is a bit of a misfire. The musical star of this film, and who, in fact, pretty much steals the whole movie, is Reneé Rapp, who plays Regina George. Not only does she get the best material to work with, but she chews up the scenery and any cast member in her scenes. Her songs are sexy and dark and exude this bitch diva quality that grounds her as a more complex character than the original Rachel McAdams version. Believe it or not, the artful direction and cinematography for the musical scenes are extremely well done, incorporating the musical bits into the story much like Chicago successfully did. The way the numbers are presented are so crafty, you almost forget the music isn't the best.

Ok, let's talk cast. The ensemble as a whole works extremely well. The actors were able to pay homage to the energy and intent of the original film and build on it, adding their own quirks and interpretations. The actors are actually given a bit more to work with than the original. We rewatched the original Mean Girls before going in, and while it was super fun, the characters were pretty one-dimensional. Each of the characters, even The Plastics, get special moments to show a more complex (don't get it twisted, there's no Meryl Streep here) side of their story. Again, Rapp as Regina steals the show. Angourie Rice (looking like a young Nicole Kidman) as Cady does a great job reimagining Lindsay's role, making it her own. We see more of her character's turning into, and loving, being a Plastic, but then we also get to see her emotional breakdown as she realizes the repercussions of her actions. Jaquel Spivey as Damian is also another scene stealer. He gets most of the original Damian lines, done fantastically by Daniel Franzese, but adds his own flair. He's got a great voice and a good sense of playing up the comedy, but making it real. The Plastics are great, Aaron Samuels does the job. The only misfire is the casting of Janice. She seems too confident and not as complex as the other characters. Also Tina Fey and Tim Meadows, always a joy to watch, seem tired in that been there done that kind of way.

 

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Comparing it to the original? There's been a lot of smart work done here to honor the original, but then to add another beat to moments and lines that we know so well. It is totally tongue-in-cheek, which saves the film. It doesn't think it's anything more than it is, so it ends up being more enjoyable than it should be. There's even a moment where Tina Fey's character gets up to make a speech and starts to sing, then stops. She can't sing. Total tongue-in-cheek. If uber fans of the original were to just take a breath and give it a chance, they'd be presently surprised. Added to this version are cell phones and social media, something missing from the original. This adds some new energy and brings it to the modern age. We also see some trans characters and same-sex couples, which is refreshing. There are added moments that are used to flesh out the characters, Regina and Cady get a nice moment after all the shenanigans where they apologize and come together...right now with everyone hating on each other in the real world, it's a nice moment to include. The only downfall is that because we know the original, and we know the storyline, the film sometimes takes a bit to get there because of a musical number of such. The film needs about ten minutes less and needs to edit out the anthem towards the end...we get the message.

All in all, this film can sit with us. Oh, and addressing the film's cameo. Yes, someone major from the original film makes an appearance. Wink wink.