MEAN GIRLS
Rated PG-13
112 Minutes
Released January 12
I can’t understand why anyone is panning the new Mean Girls movie unless they’re in a generation that’s mad that one of their favorite comedies from high school got remade in the image of contemporary ethos, or they expect to see a sophisticated adult comedy. Get over it! This is a kid’s film, and the kids LOVE it. They were literally (and ecstatically) dancing in the aisles at the screening I attended. The vernacular of the humor is in kids’ language, and as such is so truthful and clear-eyed that it does speak to adults too.
Writer Tina Fey, who also wrote the first Mean Girls in 2004 and plays “Ms. Norburn” in both films, is a master of subversive sarcasm, peppering the dialogue with hidden philosophical observances and insightful gems. She even satirizes herself in one scene. There are legions of fans who watched and rewatched the 2004 Mean Girls and can recite lines to it as if quoting a secular scripture, and Samantha Jayne, director of this new version, is one of those fans. Jayne and co-director Arturo Perez Jr have so adeptly blended musical elements from the Broadway musical version with the dialogue in this new movie that you hardly know a character has started to sing their words, and the editing and camera work keeps the story flowing. The sets are steeped in color and imagination yet don’t get in the way of the actors.
The charisma and magnetism of those actors make this movie work. The whole cast has miles of exuberance, and their mood is catching. The characters are unique and layered – each has a memorable personality, and several have extraordinary voices and talents. Angourie Rice, who plays “Cady,” has been acting since the age of 11 in her native Australia and soon gained international acclaim in Spider-Man: Far from Home and Black Mirror. She is the classic ingenue with a mix of sweetness and angst. Renee Rapp has been burning up social media since the film’s release.
She’s a hugely talented singer/songwriter and musical theatre actress who plays “Regina George,” the character she played in the Broadway musical, with the perfect hint of sexiness mixed with a girl-boss attitude. Rapp has that instinctive ability to channel drama into her singing. Antika, who plays “Karen,” knocks it out of the park. She’s a remarkable child prodigy who grew up in India and started acting in Indian films at age 10, trained extensively as a dancer in ballet, contemporary, and Indian Classical, then starred in a movie with Rebel Wilson, and now lives in the US. At the ripe old age of 19, she is executive producing a series she sold to Disney+. Watch for her Halloween Party performance later in the film. The lyrics say it all – “Once a year, I dress up and dream big, disguised as someone else who is not me – that is STILL HOT!”
This story is about cliques and bullying, but it doesn’t generate self-pity, rather instilling power in all groups by illustrating that each is worthwhile and beautiful in its own way. Today, cliques are taken too seriously by some. Books and classes focus on female aggression; there’s special counseling for those left in the dust when a group doesn’t accept them. We shouldn’t put too much importance on the negativity. Sometimes, it’s a learning experience to work things out and to see the big picture with a sense of humor. Social environments change constantly. Tables will turn, and it’s a good life lesson to shrug it off and get passionate about something else.
This movie is a perfect way to send that message. There is a whole world out there, and kids who are often micro-managed need to be reminded of that and to rekindle their sense of wonder. Fey says of the universality of the story through the years, “It has this little net that catches girls as they pass through preteen and high school age.” This is not a mindless, feel-good tale filled with shallow, one-dimensional characters. Each one has a complex identity and voice, with difficult problems to resolve. And yes, this movie stands on its own. You can go ahead and enjoy both the 2004 and the 2024 versions.
Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people. She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com
