The newest remake of Mean Girls, which came out on January 12, 2024, features many well-known actors such as Renee Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Christopher Briney and Avantika Vandanapu. The movie follows Cady Heron, a 16-year-old girl who moves from South Africa to suburban Illinois and discovers what life is like in an American high school.
Initially, many fans were excited for this adaptation, with their favorite musical finally coming to the big screen. To many, however, it seems as if the producers attempted to cater to fans of both the Broadway musical as well as the original 2004 film, leading to overall disappointment.
The film’s adaptation of music from Mean Girls The Musical faces an abundance of criticism. Many fans claim the songs have lost their original flair and that the soundtrack’s acoustic accompaniment has a dull, autotuned sound.
Sofia Maheras-Matthews (III) explains, “I was disappointed about this version of ‘Revenge Party’; I felt like there wasn’t enough emotion, and the camera work was strange.” Additionally, Angourie Rice, who plays Cady, has received backlash for her jaded rendition of “Stupid with Love.”
Many viewers have also expressed disappointment about the new portrayal of iconic scenes, such as the moment in which “the Plastics,” the film’s main antagonists, are introduced. Niamh Foley (III) says, “I was let down when they cut out the ‘homeschooled jungle freak’ line from the movie.” Other viewers are frustrated about the change in setting, arguing that the new school in which this film takes place is a downgrade from the original set.
Additionally, some viewers dislike the film’s modernization, specifically regarding the role social media plays in the plot. Many are disappointed about the more modern-looking costumes, too, claiming that the original characters would never wear them. One fan, Oliva Houton (III), says, “I didn’t like how the producers saw this as an opportunity to push fast fashion using Regina George.”
The original Mean Girls has played a crucial role in pop culture since its release in 2004, and references to the film are still frequently made today. Because of the popularity of both the original musical and movie, viewers have been coming back disappointed after watching the new film.
Although many criticisms are made about the new rendition of such a famous movie, it is overall very well-made. All of the actors and producers are incredibly talented and the movie visibly showcases their hard work.When coming into a movie expecting an exact copy of either the original or the musical, viewers are likely to come out disappointed. Going into the film with a fresh mindset, though, will pleasantly surprise fans.
