Mean Girls, 2024.
Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr.
Starring Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Avantika, Bebe Wood, Christopher Briney, Jaquel Spivey, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, Ashley Park, Jon Hamm, Mahi Alam, Connor Ratliff, Brian Altemus, Ari Notartomaso, Allison Winn, Gabriella Cila.
SYNOPSIS:
Cady Heron is a hit with the Plastics, an A-list girl clique at her new school when she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.
Not everything needs to be remade and updated to fit into modern times and its associated technology, but Mean Girls is a logical choice where the messaging still holds power. It just now has songs courtesy of the Broadway musical, which was also based on the 2004 Mark Waters film and novel Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman.
Now directed by first-time feature-length filmmakers Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. (with Tina Fey once again on writing duty), this version is more or less the same movie, which arguably could be seen as an insult or lazy, but also proves the point that these jokes and plot beats play into a cautionary tale that is just as relevant for teenagers today. It’s a double-edged sword for sure, with the deciding factor for recommendation being how effective the musical portion is, coming with catchy songs playing to the potency of a vocally talented ensemble.
Angourie Rice steps into the role Lindsay Lohan made famous; 16-year-old high school girl Cady Heron, a new student at North Shore High School after a lengthy stretch of being homeschooled while living in Kenya with her mother (Jenna Fischer). She receives a crash course in the various cliques from artsy Janis ‘Imi’ike (Moana’s Auli’i Cravalho) and Damien (Jaquel Spivey), two kids who have stuck together since childhood and don’t really fit anywhere else after some drama with a group they have dubbed “The Plastics.”
It’s a vain and shallow trio led by Queen Bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp walking away with the movie, delivering a performance that captures the essence and facial expressions Rachel McAdams pulled off with the character 20 years ago), bossing around her friends, one skilled in the art of learning and knowing everything about everyone who goes to the school (Bebe Wood’s Gretchen Wieners) and one so comically dumb she might as well not know anything (Avantika’s Karen Shetty.) The clique shows interest in allowing Cady into their ranks, prompting Janis to encourage some infiltration and betrayal.
Even if viewers don’t prefer this ensemble to the original (and let’s be fair, that’s a tall order to top), it’s easy to appreciate what the performers are doing here in broad, simple strokes. Diversifying the cast is a choice that actually matters here, even if the script feels nervous to actually capitalize on that and start dialogues on race and prejudices within schools. That’s not to say one wants to see unabashed cruelty here, but given how tensions have heightened in the real world, it is slightly strange that the filmmakers took the opportunity to diversify the ensemble without taking advantage of that fully.
If anything, the filmmakers seem to have gone out of their way to soften some of the harsh language and make the dialogue more appropriate despite also receiving a PG-13 rating like the original. Such a choice is inherently frustrating and actually diminishes the strengths of some of these themes. Again, no one wants to see mean-spirited nastiness, but the word mean is also right there in the title.
Thankfully, the musical direction is on-point with buzzy lyrics and staging utilizing the school in various ways (such as teenagers frequently playing instruments in the background or wreaking havoc at a house party.) There’s a sense that each song captures who these characters are, fully synchronized with the tone of the book, original film, and Broadway musical. For the longtime fans, there are also some returning cast members (such as Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprising their roles as faculty members) and a surprising treat in store.
As Cady familiarizes herself with the classrooms and students, she also happens to fall for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), kicking off a rivalry between her and Regina that continues to escalate in darkly funny ways until they learn valuable lessons about kindness, true friendship, and not becoming what you despise. A good chunk of the dialogue is lifted from the original, although this ensemble puts its own flavor on those words. If it weren’t for the musical aspect, one would be tempted to be, well, meaner to Mean Girls, but this update does strike a respectable balance between fan service and something to differentiate itself from what people love.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
