Movie Review: ‘Mean Girls’ is a fetch retelling of the original
The new “Mean Girls” movie musical plays it safe in this modern retelling of the 2004 original film, but still manages to entertain from start to finish.
“When Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by an elite group of popular girls called the Plastics Cady finds herself caught in their crosshairs of the conniving queen bee Regina George.”
Growing up, the 2004 original “Mean Girls,” was a film that, anytime I went to a party, it was playing on one of the televisions. For good reason too, it’s funny, quotable, and for teenagers, somewhat relatable. “Mean Girls,” (2004) is a movie that if you asked a large group of people who grew up in the 2000s if a movie studio should remake the iconic film, 95% of the group would say “no.” But after the success of the 2017 Broadway musical, an adaptation of this new version was a no-brainer.
The music is good and tells the same story with very few changes, and the 2024 film is a 1:1 of the Broadway musical. There will probably be a lot of people confused once the movie starts, and they realize it’s a musical retelling, this is 100% due to the lack of music in the marketing. But regardless of whether you know it’s a musical or not, I feel “Mean Girls,” (2024) will be met with open arms because it is “fetching” good time.
One of the most important things to making a modern retelling of “Mean Girls,” is making sure you have the right person playing the character of Regina George. What better way to do that than pulling the most popular actress who played Regina on Broadway? Reneé Rapp makes the jump from stage to screen, and she is a bonafide star. As Regina George steals the attention of everyone in the room, Rapp, from the first moment she steps on screen, commands the film.
The rest of the casting is good, but you can’t help but compare their performances to the performances of the 2004 original. This leads me to my biggest letdown from “Mean Girls,” (2024): just like the Broadway adaptation, I feel the creators played it a little too safe. “Mean Girls,” (2004) works so well because the film depicts charactercher versions of how people act in the real world, while also tackling real-life topics. “Mean Girls,” (2024) never fully commits to being a topical depiction of high school cliques as the original once did. Yes, this a different movie and I shouldn’t compare, but it’s hard not to when some scenes are word for word from the 2004 film, in addition to some of the characters being played by the same actors.
“Mean Girls,” (2024) doesn’t take as many risks as the original film did in 2004, but between the good music, the reuse of timeless jokes, and some surprise cameos, I had a really good time.
I give “Mean Girls,”: 3.5/5. It is rated PG-13 and hits U.S. theaters Jan. 12, 2024. There are no post-credit scenes.
Spot the Difference
The website NoDeposit.guide has created a Mean Girls themed Spot the Difference game. Set in the hallways of the iconic 2004 film, over two decades old, this new game invites players to spot five differences between two similar images.
Challenge yourself to spot the five differences between these two Mean Girls scenes in 15 seconds or less:
And here are the differences:
- Cady Heron’s necklace pendant is missing
- Karen Smiths bracelet has turned clear green
- Regina George’s top has changed to purple
- Gretchen Weiners’ lips are red
- Gretchen Weiners’ watch has disappeared
