‘Mean Girls’ (2024) - Renee Rapp dominates musical remake

It feels strange to mention The Color Purple in a review for Mean Girls. Given the close window of their releases, and with both being remakes based on Broadway musicals of the original films, I feel I have no choice. While the emotionally taxing The Color Purple doesn’t initially strike one as the foundation for singing and dancing, Mean Girls is far more fitting for a tuneful treatment.

The story here remains the same. Cady Heron takes her home-schooled self away from the Kenyan savannah and into the wilds of an American high school. There, she’s exposed to judgemental peers, scornful enemies, and the queen of them all, Regina George. The two become friends and, soon enough, begin a conflict that brings the school and its inhabitants to the brink of war.

It sounds melodramatic, which is perfect for a musical. The characters are overwhelmed with emotion and can’t help but put their feelings into song, though some moments felt more forced than they should have. Combine that with a prevailing sense of academic awkwardness and Mean Girls is at times, unavoidably cringe worthy. There are a few clever moments where the movie highlights its randomness, with characters looking on in disdain as another character plays through a musical number that exists only in their mind.

When it’s not playing things tongue-in-cheek, Mean Girls also makes strides in how its music is presented. Subtle additions like the students in the background singing along a cappella, makes a significant difference. The whole thing feels creative even when the numbers are low-key. Its best moments are when the film is fully committed to its aesthetic, with bombastic sequences that are truly impressive.

Like any remake of a beloved property, Mean Girls has the unfortunate burden of comparison. The original characters are so ingrained in the minds of fans that a new player can feel like a cheap imitation for a new generation. Some performances fit that bill, but others exceed expectations. Bebe Wood and Avantika create new spins on Gretchen and Karen, as do Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey as Janis and Damian. However, it’s Renee Rapp who grabs hold of the film from her introduction and makes her presence missed every moment she’s off screen.

If you’re a fan of the original, you may find that some segments feel like forced recreations of iconic moments. If you don’t care for the original, I doubt you’ll care for the film’s expansion of its characters. It has dated ideas of high school, but also decently updates its story with the new dimension of smartphones and social media. Whatever your perceptions going in, Mean Girls has a firm grasp on its tone, and entertains with an old story in a new genre. It’s not perfect, but it swings and hits more than it misses.

Rating: Half price

Damian Levy is a reviewer and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies