‘Mean Girls’ Review: Musical Adaptation Struggles To Shine In The Shadow Of Its Predecessor

Mean Girls 2024, directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., and starring a vibrant ensemble including Renée Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, Angourie Rice, Tina Fey (who also wrote the screenplay), Jaquel Spivey, and many others brings the classic 2004 teen comedy into the modern era with updated cultural references and a more diverse cast. However, the film struggles to justify its existence beyond surface-level changes and ultimately falters in delivering a coherent, impactful story that offers little new or compelling.

Mean Girls is adapted from Rosalind Wiseman’s 2002 book, Queen Bees and Wannabes and became a Broadway musical in 2018 featuring music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. The new movie closely follows the plot of the original film and centers around Cady Heron (Rice), a naive teenager who spent her childhood in Africa with her parents. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she moves to the United States and enrolls in a public high school. Unfamiliar with American high school social norms and cliques, Cady meets Janis (Cravalho) and Damian (Spivey), who guide her through the various factions within the school, helping her find her place.

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Cady’s world changes when she encounters the Plastics, the school’s most popular and feared clique, led by the ruthless Regina George (Rapp). Regina, along with her loyal followers Gretchen Wieners (Bebe Wood) and Karen Smith (Avantika Vandanapu), reigns supreme over the social hierarchy. Initially repelled by their superficiality, Cady is eventually persuaded by her new friends, Janis and Damian, to infiltrate the Plastics and bring them down from the inside.

The original film from 2004 was a cultural phenomenon, etching itself into the pop-culture lexicon with sharp wit and memorable one-liners. However, the 2024 version seems lost in its attempt to reinvent the wheel. It attempts to delve deeper into the internal dialogues of Regina, Gretchen, and Karen. This approach had the potential to add layers to their personas, making them more than just archetypal high school mean girl bullies. However, this narrative choice ends up diluting the impact of individual character arcs, as it introduces complexities in their personalities without adequately exploring them.

The songs primarily serve as tools for exposition rather than as organic elements of the story. Each musical number, often internal monologues, interrupts the narrative flow instead of integrating seamlessly into it. This disjointedness in storytelling is further exacerbated by the film’s inconsistent adherence to its musical format. When the songs do appear, they often feel like fillers rather than elements that enhance the narrative, contributing to a growing sense of disengagement, particularly noticeable by the third act.

One of the more jarring aspects of the film is its heightened sexualization. The story attempts to incorporate a Euphoria-esque aesthetic to inject a sense of camp, but this direction feels forced and out of place within the Mean Girls universe. This addition is unnecessary, as it neither serves the plot nor aligns with the spirit of the original film, which handled teenage sexuality with a more authentic touch.

However, amidst its flaws, this version does effectively highlight the theme of manipulation and the use of Cady for personal gain. While this theme was present in the original, it is explored with greater clarity in this adaptation, offering insightful commentary on the importance of self-awareness and conviction. The film’s saving grace is the performances of Auli’i Cravalho and Renée Rapp. Their exceptional singing talents are undeniable highlights, bringing much-needed energy and vibrancy to the film. Their magnetic screen presence hints at the potential that could have been realized with better source material.

Making movies is hard. Adapting musicals into films is likely even more so. While Mean Girls 2024 commendably attempts to modernize and expand upon its predecessor, it ultimately struggles to deliver a cohesive and engaging narrative. The film’s lack of focus, inconsistent musical integration, and unnecessary over-sexualization overshadow its few strengths. The 2004 film has cemented its place in cinema and pop culture, while the 2024 version is likely to be forgotten.

Title: Mean Girls
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release date: January 12, 2024
Directors: Samantha Jayne, Arturo Perez Jr.
Screenwriter: Tina Fey
Cast: Angourie Rice, Reneé Rappl, Auliʻi Cravalho, Christopher Briney, Jaquel Spivey, Bebe Wood, Avantika, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows,  Jenna Fischer,  Busy Philipps,  Jon Hamm
Rating: PG-13
Running time: 1 hr 52 mons

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