#MovieReview: Mean Girls is better than it should be [Watch]
This movie is perfectly enjoyable for fans of the original and newcomers from the Gen-Z generation alike.
With how much Mean Girls plays as karaoke of it’s Mean Girls (2004) source material, there’s no wonder it’s a musical.
This most recent iteration of the stone cold high school classic film is actually based on a Broadway musical, which itself was based on the original film, but let’s not get caught up in the weeds.
Cady Heron is back, as are ‘The Plastics’ and their queen bee, Regina George.
But, of course, they are played by the new generation of teen actresses – or at least the newest generation of early-20s actresses playing teenagers, as is Hollywood high school movie tradition.
At least there’s no chain-smoking 33-year-old Rizzo from Grease to strain credulity too far.
Aside from the new cast however, this movie is ripped wholesale from the pages of the 2004 edition.
Oh, and there’s also the small matter of it being an all-out musical, which is completely left out of the trailer.
So be forewarned if high school theatre productions are not for you.
Otherwise this movie is perfectly enjoyable for fans of the original and newcomers from the Gen-Z generation alike.
A few of the edgier lines have been updated for a more politically correct audience, but the majority of the cliquey cattiness remains pretty sharp.
If you grew up watching Mean Girls then you will probably find yourself mouthing along to a few of the more famous quotes, delivered excitedly by the refreshed cast.
Angourie Rice (The Nice Guys, Spider-Man) takes over the Cady Heron fish-out-of-water role from Lindsay Lohan and is pretty good, but Renee Rapp as Regina George is the real star here.
Rapp was cast in the role for the Broadway production and you can tell why.
Her outsized performance would be perfect on stage and she clearly has the voice to match – keep an eye out for her going forward.
She elevates what would otherwise be a perfectly okay, but probably unnecessary remake to one that is honestly pretty watchable.
Once you get over the musical aspect, you will likely end up smiling through most of it and it does scratch that nostalgic itch.
Rated PG-13 for scenes of Sexual Material and Strong Language.
3/5.
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