Mean Girls (2024) - Movie Review

Cady Heron has just moved home to the USA from Kenya and is about to start High school after having been homeschooled her whole life. Here she instantly becomes friends with Janis and Damian and is warned against interfering with the social group they call the Plastics. However, the leader of the Plastics, Regina George, takes a liking to the new girl and wants her in her group. Cady accepts as she together with Janis and Damian plan on taking down Regina George for good.

Mean Girls (2024) is a movie adaption of the Broadway musical of Mean Girls based on the 2004 cult classic that we all love. Parts of the story have been updated to a more modern point of view and they have removed some of the more problematic elements like the coach having a relationship with some of the students. The movie is also more queer friendly which overall is a good thing as it somewhat represent the average American high school social dynamic but it unfortunately downplays Damian's character. In the original movie Damian was partly ostracized from the high school social life as he was an openly gay character, which is why Janis lovingly called him "almost too gay to function". However, in this new version, it does not make sense for him to be a social outcast for being proud and openly gay. Mean Girls (2024) as it is a musical is also skipping a few scenes and rearranging others to make room for all the songs.

For most parts of Mean Girls (2024) the casting feels great. Reneé Rapp is a great Regina George, she really personify this upper class queen bitch who manipulates everyone. Also her songs are amazing, it is very clear why she was cast both in the Broadway musical and in this movie. Gretchen and Karen, however, did fall a little short and in a few scenes, especially in the beginning of the movie, it felt like the actors should have swapped character. Avantika Vandanapu did have some good moments playing the wide eye stupid and naive Karen but it felt like she had to constantly remind herself that she was supposed to be dumb. Likewise did Bebe Woods have some good moments as Gretchen but she had a more natural naive energy about her.

Overall Mean Girls (2024) is a really good musical with a lot of great songs and performances. The original movie is still better and funnier especially if you do not like musicals but if you do like musicals this movie is worth the experience. I really love musicals and am therefore going to give this movie four out of five stars.