It’s been twenty years since the original Mean Girls movies hit theaters, and somehow, it’s just as popular as the day it was released. Maybe it’s the collective experience all fans can relate to – that mean popular girl that ruled the school and the hold they had on the collective class. The story that Tina Fey wove throughout the movie, peppered with quotes that have permeated pop culture, seems to be a relatable story for generations of audiences. So when they announced a new Mean Girls movie, it left a lot of fans worried – was it a reboot, was it a sequel or was it something else? Do we need to even redo a movie that still holds up twenty years ago? We won’t even go into the marketing tag line “Not Your Mother’s Mean Girls”…
As Mean Girls hits theaters this weekend, we’re going to see audiences just as torn as they were when it was first announced. The story is the same, it’s a reboot but it’s really not. It’s a readaptation of the Broadway Musical Mean Girls which was a readaptation of the original movie. The story is the same, but there are plenty of updates that are done throughout the movie that help update it for the current market and audience. And yes, it’s a musical – there’s enough in the trailers as well as a not so hidden music note in the new logo. Is that a deal breaker? Absolutely not, but it may be for some viewers.
As previously mentioned, Mean Girls (2024) is the same story as Mean Girls (2004). We get the same characters as we did in the original movie, and the same iconic lines and jokes. If you’re a fan of the original movie, some of the jokes may not land the same for you 20 years later and with a different delivery. But in between these moments are songs, that not only give the characters that didn’t have much of a back story or voice one of their own. Both Regina and Janice get their own solo songs, and the Revenge Party song led by both Janice and Damien leans heavily on the comedy, and the acting throughout is reminiscent of more the mature comedy that fans of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and similar shows can relate to. They will have you laughing and in awe of the vocal talents of the young actors in the film.
The new cast has made the characters their own. Yes, you can see the influence of the original actors in the roles. But this means the line delivery is different and jokes are delivered differently. For new audiences they will still work – but they may just feel “off” if you are a major fan of the original movie and cast. Does this make the movie bad? Not at all, and the actors making the characters their own is just what you’d expect especially have 20 years.
What about those changes the movie made? Throughout the movie, you’re going to see a few parts that are different. Including the lack of focus on race, sexuality, and gender identity. While those jokes may have “worked” in 2004, they are dated and can be insulting in 2024. The main joke that Janice was a lesbian and why Regina avoided her would be considered not only discrimination but would not work with a modern audience. The same can be said with her race as well as that of other characters. So the new versions of the characters are not only more diverse racially but are open in their gender identity and sexuality. This is a much-needed update for the current world and generation that the movie is being marketed to. It’s a reflection of the current world and life in it.
There are some other updates in the story and character arcs that are almost like small Easter Eggs for fans of the original. So be sure to be on the lookout for those.
Is the new version of Mean Girls just a rehash of the original? Not at all. If you love the original you’re going to know the dialog almost word for word. Fans of the musical version may have a similar experience with the songs as well. But it’s still a fun experience and a great way to return to North Shore High School. Get ready for your favorite quotable lines coming back into your conversations. You go Glen Coco!
Mean Girls is in theaters everywhere this weekend, and it may just make Fetch finally happen.
Overall Rating:
About Mean Girls:
From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.