October 3rd. “Jingle Bell Rock”. Wearing pink on Wednesdays. All of these things are references to an iconic comedy film that shaped pop culture; “Mean Girls” (2004). “Mean Girls” is simply a classic, one that never gets old. It follows Cady Heron, a teenage girl who experiences public school for the first time after being homeschooled her whole life in Africa. She quickly discovers the rules of popularity that divide her classmates into tightly knit cliques. She unintentionally falls into the good graces of the most elite group of students called “The Plastics”, but Cady soon realizes how dangerous their shallow nature can be.
“Mean Girls” (2024) is a remake of the original film with a twist. It’s a fun movie musical inspired by the 2004 film and its hit Broadway musical adaptation, both written by Tina Fey. As someone who did theater in high school, I’m familiar with the “Mean Girls” musical and its soundtrack. As soon as trailers for “Mean Girls” (2024) came out, I was excited and intrigued. I recognized the catchy songs with their witty lyrics and upbeat tunes. I couldn’t wait to see how the cast made the songs their own and channeled the energy of the notorious characters they were playing.
The 2024 rendition was hilarious and heart-warming. It brought waves of nostalgia, flooding me with memories of watching the original in the early 2000s. The vibe of “Mean Girls” is very specific, full of burn book pages and scattered lip gloss, and the 2024 film stays somewhat true to it. I enjoyed seeing new, young actors take on these well-known roles. It’s challenging, daunting even, to step into a character that everyone already knows and loves. There are higher expectations for a good, accurate portrayal. The actors accepted this task with confidence and I admire that.
My favorite actors from the film by far are Renee Rapp, Avantika Vandanapu, and Auli’i Cravalho. Their vocal performances are phenomenal, especially Renee Rapp’s. As part of the Broadway musical cast, I knew she wouldn’t disappoint. Rapp’s Regina George is flirty, intimidating, and powerful all at once. Every time she was on the screen, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Her presence is magnetic and stunning, which is perfect for a character like Regina George. Similarly, Vandanapu and Cravalho embody their characters so well, delivering with their vocals and acting skills.
Vandanapu easily entertained me with her natural humor and charm. Her blank stares, silly smiles, and girly personality were so fitting for Karen Shetty. Vandanapu’s version of “Sexy” is what really won me over. Her vocals are energetic and beautiful and her dancing makes the scene come alive. It’s hard to believe that she’s similar in age to me, both of us being born in 2005. She’s so talented at such a young age. It also makes me happy to see a brown girl playing a “Plastic”. As an Indian girl myself, Indian representation is so nice and refreshing and proves that anyone can play a “popular girl”, no matter their skin tone.
Although I honestly liked “Mean Girls” (2024), I did have issues with certain aspects of the film. My biggest gripe was Cady’s songs. In the musical, “Stupid With Love” is bright and funny and “Revenge Party” is determined and passionate. In the movie, both songs felt stripped of color. Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) almost seemed bored while singing about developing a crush on Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney). The duller instrumentals and Rice’s lack of vocal training could be to blame for this. In the future, directors should hire actors with vocal experience for movie musicals. It’s not Rice’s fault but in my opinion, she wasn’t the right choice for the role.
It also bothered me that we didn’t get “Meet the Plastics” in its entirety. The song is pivotal in introducing us to “The Plastics” and setting up their relationship with each other and the school. Unfortunately, we only got Regina’s part of the song. While Regina’s solo is amazing, what about Karen and Gretchen? They’re equally important characters who we need to understand. My final complaint is some of the outfit choices. A lot of the clothing looks cheap, as if it were ordered on Shein, and that just doesn’t fit with the “Mean Girls” vibe. “The Plastics” are rich and care heavily about appearances, so they definitely wouldn’t wear some of the outfits they did in the movie.
“Mean Girls” (2024) is a fun film, iconic in its own right, and I recommend it to anyone who needs a lively weekend watch. Nothing can beat the 2004 classic but the 2024 remake is its own separate sensation!