Mean Girls, the highly anticipated adaptation to the 2004 American teen comedy film, made its debut on January 12, 2024. Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Pereze Jr., the musical teen comedy film features a star-studded cast and incorporates elements of the original film, its Broadway adaptation, and modern-day culture.
The film cleverly integrates the popular social media platform “TikTok” and the famous makeup brand “E.L.F” into the storyline, adding a contemporary twist to the classic high school drama.
In a remarkable feat, the movie managed to earn $28 million within the first 72 hours of its release.
Cady Heron is a recent transfer student who finds herself at the top of the social hierarchy when she is welcomed into a clique of popular girls known as the “Plastics.” The group is led by Regina George, a manipulative and conniving queen bee who rules over her followers with an iron fist. As Cady starts to become more and more entrenched in the Plastics’ inner circle, she finds herself drawn to Regina’s ex-boyfriend, Aaron Samuels played by Christopher Briney. This decision proves to be a major misstep, however, as Regina and her cohorts soon turn on Cady and begin to use her as a pawn in their twisted games of social dominance.
Angourie Rice’s portrayal of Cady Heron is nothing short of brilliant. Her performance is both captivating and authentic, as she brings the character to life in every aspect of her role. Her ability to fully immerse herself in the character is commendable, making the character seem incredibly real. Watching her on the screen is an amusing and exciting experience, as she effortlessly captures the essence of Cady Heron and delivers a truly memorable performance.
Reneé Rapp’s portrayal of Regina George is extraordinary. Her performance exudes an unparalleled level of precision, capturing the essence of Regina’s sassy personality with remarkable accuracy. Watching her on stage is thoroughly enjoyable, as she effortlessly commands attention and brings the character to life in a way that leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Avantika Vandanapu portrays the character of Karen Shetty in an incredibly funny and entertaining manner. Her ability to bring out the humor in the character is commendable.
On the other hand, Bebe Wood plays the role of Gretchen Wieners with such authenticity that her emotions feel real and genuine. Her portrayal of Gretchen is so convincing that it’s easy to forget that she’s just acting.
The movie’s lighting, color, audio, and editing are truly exceptional. They work together seamlessly to create a cinematic experience that is both immersive and captivating.
During the musical performance, I couldn’t help but notice that the choreography was decent. It wasn’t top-notch, but it wasn’t terrible either. However, what bothered me the most was that most of the songs had an awkward ending that made me cringe and look away in embarrassment.
Despite this, I must say that the movie did a good job of using the songs to tell the story. Moreover, the light, color, audio, and editing were all impressive and well done, making the overall experience enjoyable and visually pleasing.
