Mean Girls Review: Plastic doesn't sparkle

The 2024 musical remake of Mean Girls will undoubtedly attract a devoted audience, but it won't quite reach the same level of popularity as the original. Despite being released 20 years ago, Mean Girls has retained its iconic status, and Tina Fey's musical adaptation was expected to be a huge success. The Tony-nominated musical debuted on Broadway in 2018 but was unfortunately forced to end its 833-show run early due to global restrictions in 2021.

Exciting news for fans of the musical- it's finally on the big screen, with some of the original stage actors reprising their roles. The movie tells the story of Cady Herron, a teenage girl who moves from Kenya to an American high school and must navigate the complexities of social rules and social media after catching the attention of the school's popular clique, the Plastics. Despite mixed reactions to the trailers, online enthusiasm for the film is evident. However, it seems like this movie may not be a hit with anyone except die-hard fans.

It’s hard not to compare Mean Girls

While the 2004 movie is far from perfect (and certain aspects have not dated well), I must preface this review by stating that I am a major fan of the original – and not the musical. The stage show itself already feels dated by its overuse of Gen Z stereotypes and forced social media lingo, with buzzwords desperately attempting to become as iconic as the organic jokes in the original. Certain nuances of the characters and storylines are overpowered by the in-your-face nature of the musical genre, and thus no one is able to be subtly funny or talk like a real person, a balance that the original movie managed to master.

The songs themselves are not the best in the industry, with lyrics like, “Imagine a party with dresses and cake, and singing and dancing and cake.” However, I do find myself knowing many of these not-so-great lyrics by heart, which just goes to show how catchy they are.

Fans of the musical might have a more favorable view of the movie than this review, but at certain points, the stage production is clearly superior to the remake. Cady's new intro song doesn't compare to ‘It Roars’, and various verses that establish characters have been omitted and replaced with quick dialogue. The absence of ‘More is Better’ also reduces the impact of its reprisal with ‘I See Stars’ later in the film.

Not every Mean Girl can shine

The reason for cutting these songs remains unclear, although it may be due to budget constraints or the fact that Angourie Rice is not a strong singer. It is surprising, as most of the other cast members excel in their roles (Aaron Samuels, portrayed by Christopher Briney, also never sings for some unexplained reason), while the lead role is reduced to auto-tuned speak-singing for most of her screen time.

The moments where she should be showing off her singing talent are either removed or given to other characters, which is very noticeable. Rice does a decent enough job of portraying the awkward new girl, but the quick switch between nice and mean Cady is more the fault of the writing. However, she still ends up looking like a lesser version of Lindsay Lohan. This is a recurring problem in the movie: it feels like a low-quality copy of the original Mean Girls. Despite being set to stream on Paramount+, it was later changed to a theatrical release, and this change is very apparent in the final result.

The film clearly reflects a low-budget straight-to-streaming production. The musical numbers are often limited to a single room, typically the school corridor, with a small cast desperately dancing in an attempt to recreate the grand scale of a blockbuster musical. The pacing of the songs fails to make them feel larger, often beginning and ending abruptly, diminishing their impact - a problem that the live musical effectively avoids despite being confined to one room.

Iconic lines from the 2004 original are either rushed through or overly emphasized, with only a few, like the Glenn Coco joke, remaining unscathed. Ultimately, the musical appears to be conscious of its reliance on the audience's love for the original, yet it also seems to be embarrassed by that dependence.

There are some “grool” things here

Although the majority of the cast members excel in singing and succeed in portraying their roles, each character delivers at least one memorable comedic moment. Damien (Jaquel Spivey) and Karen (Avantika Vandanapu) stand out as the only ones capable of rivaling their 2004 counterparts, embracing their sassy and ditzy stereotypes more fully - a perfect fit for the heightened musical setting.

Rachel McAdams as Regina George is a tough act to follow, but Reneé Rapp shines in her singing performances. She brings a sexy yet terrifying presence to the screen, commanding every scene she's in. Despite budget constraints, the film doesn't look bad at all; the shots become more creative as the movie progresses, incorporating lighting and inventive dance sequences to maintain high energy throughout the numerous musical numbers. Many of the performances are excellent, and there are genuine laughs throughout the film, often through fourth-wall humor and genre tropes.

Mean Girls 2024 review score: 2/5

Although the songs may not be lyrically inventive, they are generally quite catchy and enjoyable; it's clear why someone would appreciate both the music and the film. However, this is only sufficient to make me want to listen to the soundtrack again, not to rewatch the movie.

The flaws of Mean Girls: The Musical are more noticeable in its movie form, allowing me to see how it works on stage. While there are enjoyable aspects and the cast shines, the movie feels artificial compared to the original.

Mean Girls will be available in US cinemas on January 12, and UK cinemas on January 17.

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of the original Mean Girls movie, I approached the 2024 musical remake with a mix of excitement and skepticism. While I was eager to see the beloved story brought to life on the big screen once again, I couldn't help but wonder if it could live up to the high standards set by the original.

After watching the remake, I have to admit that my initial skepticism was largely justified. While there were certainly some enjoyable moments, overall, the movie fell short of my expectations. The songs, while catchy, lacked the wit and charm of the original soundtrack, and the characters, though well-acted, felt like pale imitations of their iconic predecessors. The decision to cut certain songs and alter the storyline also left me feeling disappointed, as it seemed to undermine the integrity of the original story.