"You Can't Sit With Us!" -- Arjun N. Challenges Mean Girls' Enduring Legacy
2Mean Girls is an ambitious remake of one of the 2000’s top classics. However, its decision to adapt the film to a musical weighs it down with sometimes subpar musical sections. Thankfully, Tina Fey’s script contains zinger after zinger while new blood and cast members carry the narrative.
This film is almost beat for beat the same as the original hit classic, following book-smart Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) after moving and adjusting to life in a new public high school. With the help of new “lame” friends, Janis (Auli’I Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), Cady gets close with the most popular kids in the school, the Plastics. This leads to Janis influencing Cady with a plan to ruin the life of the most popular Plastics, Regina George (Renee Rapp). However, Cady finds herself at odds with this idea once she catches a crush on Regina’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron Samuel (Christopher Briney).
The film’s ensemble cast replicates the natural charm of the original, even if their musical sequences plod along. Angourie Rice, as Cady, might just be better than Lindsay Lohan at replicating the character’s essence as her social awkwardness and glow-up are more fleshed out this time around. Rice’s musical numbers are some of the best, feeling like a diary of her inner thoughts rather than a flashy afterthought of a spectacle. Also, her love story with Aaron (Christopher Briney) is just as cute and emotionally complex as it was in the original. Still, the standouts must be the new characters, Janis (Auli’l Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey). Janis is sure to be a fan favorite as her newly-written history with Regina becomes one of the film’s most compelling subplots. Furthermore, Cravalho is easily the best musical performer here with her climactic song being one of the film’s most unabashedly real moments. Damian is one of the funniest additions, having some of the film’s best wisecracks. The duo’s queer identity remains one of the film’s most inspiring and endearing elements. However, it’s all fun and games until you deal with the Plastics, led excellently by Regina George (Renee Rapp). Rapp follows Rachel McAdams’s iconic performance respectfully by carrying her way through things so effortlessly and nonchalantly. Bebe Wood, as Gretchen, and Avantika, as Karen, complement eacah other greatly even if the script doesn’t give them room to further explore their characters. Unfortunately, the Plastics’ singing and dancing are so poorly staged and filled to the brim with vapid lyrics that even the actresses’ talent couldn’t overcome that. Tina Fey sparingly reprises her role as Ms. Norbury as if she’s never skipped a beat. However, her sharp script is easily her highlight of the film. Of all the grown-ups, Jon Hamm’s cameo as the sex-ed teacher shines as comedic gold and showcases his immense range.
Despite Mean Girls’ flaws, its message won me over by the end. Several characters get their comeuppance, and the only uniting factor is their genuine forgiveness and acceptance of one another. Although the original had the same message, viewers won’t help but feel pure bliss upon seeing these characters reunite at the climactic dance. The film does it without feeling overly preachy as well. However, the story does rush over some of the original’s emotionally-driven moments that lead to that point. Be aware that there is occasional teen drinking, profanity and sexual material.
I give Mean Girls 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. Mean Girls is playing in theaters now. Be sure to check it out.
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