The amount of people that didn't know this is based on the Broadway musical is shocking.
I didn't know this was a musical... I'm out!
She doesn't even go here, and neither should a remake!
Now I understand why people hate remakes.
Amazing movie. Absolutely kept the humor from the original. I was gagged every time Reneé Rapp was on-screen.
This will be fun to watch in a "don't expect it to be good, just let yourself be entertained" kind of way. Bebe Wood is is actually great casting for Gretchen, I can very clearly see her do Gretchen's mannerisms in my head, and I'm excited to see Christopher Briney in a bit less of a broody/traumatized role.
Do you want to watch an "edgy" and "PC" version of High School Musical? This is it.
How do they manage to make every single change they introduce one for the worse, and proving they misunderstood the original so badly?
Ironic given that Tina Fey is supposed to be behind both versions...
Another potentially controversial rating, but I did love this movie. The songs are (mostly) very catchy and this new qdaptation kept the heart of the movie while removing the racism, ableism, homophobia, and the running pedophillic joke with Coach Carr. Renee Rapp as Regina and Auli'i Cravalho as Janice gave standout performances and I loved seeing their takes on the characters. Personally, the only thing I didn't enjoy was Cady. Her character was written as whiny and insufferable from the moment she comes on screen and, I hate to say this, but I do think that the part was too big for Angourie Rice. Her acting felt mousy and forced at times and, though she has a beautiful voice, it didn't match the songs or the voices of the other actors. If you feel you can watch without the clouded judgement from your deep personal connection with the original, you will probably really like it. It is freaking fetch!
Reneé Rapp slayed, and carried the movie on her back.
Pretty much everything else though just left me wondering why? With a remake in a new medium I like to see them do something new and unique with said medium. While I did like some of the songs, I just didn’t think that the movie did enough to justify itself over watching the original film.
Decent casting, but I wish they would have stuck closer to the actual musical’s sound/scenes. Also, the amount of product placement in this movie was wild.
All of the haters are taking this way too seriously. It’s supposed to be a fun and goofy movie. Lighten up a little.
This was such an amazing movie! One of THE best for me. I LOVED how it was super similar to the original movie but still had a bunch of differences. The actors did an amazing job. The dancing/singing scenes that were done in 1 long uncut take were incredible and super impressive. There was so much thought put into the camera work, too.
I also love how they went all out with the overly dramatic scenes. They felt like scenes from a music video.
And of course, my favorite character was Janice. Her character was more human in this movie compared to the original. She still had that “I don’t care. I do what I want.” attitude, however, she showed more emotion and humanity, which made her seem less bitchy.
Overall, you can really tell just how much work went into this movie. It’s just absolutely amazing and such a fun watch!
I don't understand why people are counting this as a "remake" for the iconic movie. It's literally the movie adaptation of the Broadway Musical, that's why most parts are not similar to the og movie since its based off the Broadway Show :cowboy:
I regret all of my life decisions, since deciding to watch this.
:pensive:
Oh Looooooooooooord. It's a musical.I turned it off after 5 minutes.
What in the actual hell have I just watched.
I knew going into this that it was a musical so I was fully prepared for that and actually knew some of the songs going in. Renee Rapp reprising her role as Regina George was absolutely the right choice to make.
My main issue is that I don't think the film knew what it was trying to do, I felt like it jumped about a bit and there were a couple of different creative styles here that clashed and made a messy amalgamation
The singing was great, the choreography was unfortunately substandard and the acting was slightly cheesy. I wouldn't recommend this and personally don't think I'll rewatch this either.
Too similar to the original, though the musical moments do help alleviate that.
I didn't necessarily like any of the songs performed in 2024's 'Mean Girls', but none of them grated on me - which is always a plus when it comes to musicals. I could've done with a slightly shorter run time, though the humour is decent - if a bit hit-and-miss.
Angourie Rice is a bit meh in the lead role, certainly a downgrade on Lindsay Lohan. I guess most of the cast are inferior comparatively, but I did enjoy the performances of Reneé Rapp and Jaquel Spivey... Auliʻi Cravalho too. Good to see Tina Fey and Tim Meadows back again, whilst there's a great cameo at one point.
All things considered, it's fine. Can't wait for the 2044 remake.
Like Mean Girls, only without the cute and double the cringe.
There's a reason they hid the fact it's a musical. If I were a musical like this, I wouldn't want anyone to know, either.
It's like Mean Girls with Maggi.
Possibly one of the most unnecessary sequels/remakes/reboots ever, but that doesn't make it bad. The original is incredible and this one is often shot for shot remade with relevant changes for 2024. Yes, it is a musical, but not so much of a musical that it merits the full remake.
I enjoyed it, but just watch the original.
Rating: 2.5/5 - 70% - Worth Watching
It's a remake of Mean Girls 2004. When directors do a remake they try to improve and make it better. Their idea of making improvement is to make it musical movie?!!!
Definitely not as funny as the original and it doesn't stand alone well, it is clearly derivative of the original and has references that go nowhere without it but it is still very entertaining.
I think it's a decent movie. I enjoyed the music. I like how they created this whole new 'Mean Girls' film while still staying true to the original, if that makes sense. I really enjoyed it.
Extremely mediocre to kinda bad film. Would have been better not as a musical. Renee rapping is the only good here and has the only decent songs.
ok, started with a song, nice cute, then after 2 minutes another song, something is wrong i wonder, 5 minutes later another song, OMG it is a musical!!! Who thought this for a reboot to make it so bad. It is not just a musical is an abomination of a movie, nothing works, not the songs, not the music not the story nothing. It is a shame to reboot with such a failure a classic movie of our teen years. Only Lohan cameo was good and i never expected such a monstrosity from Tina Fey.
Reneé & Auli'i stole the show! I loved their scenes!
Well as a standalone movie, it's not terrible terrible, but it's not good either and it's like a clone of the same movie 20 years ago, just worse, dumber with all that singing, dumber overall, all the actors are much uglier and much less talented, which kinda breaks the whole idea of "plastics"... I'm sorry, if you haven't seen the original, feel free to skip this one and watch the original - it's going to be a much better experience... And I'm not the guy who always says that originals are always better, because they're not. Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't, it depends on how each was made...
Disclaimer: I am a Xennial who doesn't care for musicals.
It was a good reboot for the current generation. The cast is very talented in both acting and singing. It is essentially the 2004 Mean Girls with a few difference for the present day culture (social media, cell phones, etc...).
As a person in their 40s, I prefer the original film but that does not mean this version is better or worse. I just relate more to the original.
I got arm-twisted into taking my teenaged daughters to watch MG at the cinema. I have never seen either the original version or the Broadway version, and knew almost nothing about the plot/structure of the film at all - which I think is the ideal way to watch a film at the cinema - so I had no preconceptions of what it was going to be like, other than that it was an American coming-of-age comedy drama. I could not compare it to any other version of Mean Girls. I really was not expecting it to be up to much, but hey ho, it was a nice family trip to the cinema.
My first thought when the first singing scene occurred was "Oh Hellfire, it's gonna be some High-School-Musical-esque teen angst crap that follows the usual American stereotypes for coming-of-age films", i.e. sassy, bitchy, shallow, judgemental, blonde, popular, possibly sporty girl(s) and dumb, muscle-obsessed, popular, knuckle-dragging, sports-obsessed jock boys try to bully some geeky/nerdy, scrawny/really overweight misfit boys/girls who eventually, inevitably, come out on top - all of which has been done sooo maaanny tiiimes it's just boring to get another reboot of the same tired formula. Mean Girls did actually have nearly all of those components, but its saving grace is that there is actually a pretty decent moralistic message woven into the plot, and most of the singing was very high quality and not overly intrusive. The 'moralistic message' being "be careful not to become the very thing that you loathe by becoming a sheep, i.e. compromising your own standards and morals just to fit in with the popular crowd". Cady's journey down this dark road was well portrayed, if very cringey at times, but her clever revenge trick to get Regina to gain weight was inspired - but definitely very mean, true to the film's title. I felt that MG was well-paced throughout in terms of comedy and action, so there were no parts where it really dragged or I lost interest, much to my surprise. I really hope that isn't an accurate portrayal of life in American high schools because the monumentally shallow self-obsession, shamelessly classist status/wealth flaunting, and petty, vindictive cruelty displayed by most of the main characters would be abhorrent in real life. In this film it does provide light entertainment because there's always that thought at the back of the mind that everything will all turn out alright in the end as the characters will have have socially and emotionally evolved.
In summary, if you watch Mean Girls (2024) as just another teen comedy drama film and don't compare it to either of the other versions that came before (much as I did) then it is undeniably an amusing way to kill a couple of hours. Once. I really wouldn't want to watch it again any time soon. However, I may watch the original MG from 2004 next time we have a family film night at home, as the other reviews on here do suggest that it is the better version.
I really enjoyed the movie, but I think I have to preface this by saying I am not a fan of the original film and love musicals, so this was an upgrade for me. I understand all the criticism about Angourie's singing, but it felt purposefully done to me (at least partly), and for me, it worked with her character. It made sense she'd be such a fish out of water even in the musical numbers. I absolutely loved everything about Renee Rap, and I NEED Janis's stylist ASAP. That woman stunned the entire movie.
First of all this was a disgusting embarrassment of a movie. As a fan of the original Mean Girls movie and the Broadway show, I approached the 2024 adaptation with anticipation, even looked forward to it, only to be met with disappointment. They took the movie and the Broadway show, clumsily smashed them together, then stripped away all the humour, heart and fun and left behind weak woke nonsense.
One of the most disappointing aspects was the treatment of the characters. Rather than experiencing growth and depth, they felt one-dimensional, every single joke fell flat, failing to evoke the laughter the original was known for. It's unfortunate that the sub par cast limited the people with actual talent from being able to shine, particularly the actress portraying Regina. She had a great voice.
While Lindsay Lohan's brief appearance was a nostalgic nod, it served as a reminder of the movie's shortcomings rather than a highlight. The decision to water down the songs compared to the stage production further detracted from the overall experience, leaving them feeling uninspired and lackluster.
It's evident that the filmmakers attempted to infuse the story with what they believed to be relevant themes, but it came across as forced and shallow, lacking the genuine wit and satire of the original. Even as a musical enthusiast, I found it difficult to appreciate the musical elements.
Ultimately, Mean Girls (2024) failed to capture the essence of its predecessors and fell massively short of expectations. I'm honestly shocked this even got released. I'm not surprised they desperately tried to hide the fact that it is a musical, because even people who love musicals are going to hate this garbage. In conclusion, I wouldn't buy this movie for £1 in a petrol station!
i am reminded of why i didn't like the musical to begin with... the songs. impeccably delivered but just not good.
There are some parts where it's just as good as the original, and some parts where it doesn't quite live up. None of it really feels better than the original, so in total it feels like a slight step down. Not enough memorable music to really be worth the remake imo.
Would have been so much better if it wasn't a musical. I gave it a chance, and by the end, I felt so much wasted potential. There was like one decent song that didn't irritate me after the first line, but other than that, it was decent. The ratio changes, colour usage, acting, casting, script, was great. If you're into musicals, you'll love this, if your not, you might want some earplugs.
Film 89 (Goal: 300) of 2024
God awful. I like a musical but man, all of them, like Hollywood are existing IPs with songs jammed in. But this is about the movie version of the musical. I enjoyed the first track but that's where all of my enjoyment ended. As I said, I know its based off the musical and all of the versions have had Fey's involvements in some way. But even so, this just feels like a cheap parody of the original classic. Nearly all the dialogue outside of the musical numbers are the same, but they're delivered far worse, by lesser versions of the iconic characters.
I might like this as a stage production where I expect it to be a carbon copy of the original with added musical numbers. But now this is just a carbon copy of a carbon copy with music. All of it feels inferior to the original. The casting, the setting, the characters, the writing. I don't think anything has evolved.
Even the direction is far worse - a lesser product. I've seen this film before and I've seen it done much better.
40 minutes. That's how long I wasted on this before calling it quits. This is a "Woke-washed" version of the original. Someone thought that's not enough and made it into a musical as well.
The only good thing to come out of this was remembering that I haven't watched the original Mean Girls in ages and watching that instead. Lindsay Lohan's Mean Girls is still awesome. It rocks. Even after 20 years.
I wasn't expecting so much change in the only cool things of the original one. Like the nonsense Regina and Aaron make up.. Janis and Regina conflict... awful
Great show for both fans of musicals and the original movie.
I enjoyed the musical numbers more than the stage version.
As a musical, it totally worked for me and I appreciate that they didn't just make a straight-up copy-and-paste remake but it's not a complete remake, as a whole it plays the same but with a lot of singing and dancing. Like a lot of remakes, nowadays they never try to make it stand out from the originals.
Brilliantly cast especially Jaquel Spivey as Damian who was the funniest part of the movie (that electric scooter scene had me lol) and Reneé Rapp came in with the Regina energy. Thoroughly entertaining and the music was pretty decent. Nice surprise cameo towards the end.
I have been vocal about my distaste for the Broadway musical adaptation of Mean Girls. I didn’t think that it worked well, I think it was the epitome of commercial cash-grab Broadway, and the music in particular really struck me as poorly written. (Not everything has to be Sondheim, but we can certainly do better than “imagine a party with dresses and cake/and singing and dancing and cake”.) So when I attended a screening of the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical, I wasn’t expecting much.
I was very, very wrong.
This movie entirely changed my opinion on the material. It not only updates the musical’s material, but combines it with an aesthetic update that speaks directly to Gen Z, predominantly with a new visual language. In moments where characters would have been addressing the audience, we instead watch them recording a TikTok in their garage or going live in their bedroom. It’s a genius way to retain the idea of direct address by having the actors speak to a different kind of audience. Social media plays a large part in this update: the beginning of “Sexy” has the screen covered with TikTok and Instagram lives of students preparing their Halloween costumes, and when Regina weaponizes the Burn Book towards the end of the movie, it’s not with photocopies of the pages like in 2004, but by leaving it where it can be found and immediately shared online by the entire school.
The music also gets an update here, with new orchestrations in every song. Gone is the blaring brass that typically accompanies a musical theatre score – this is pure pop. A lot of the vocals are toned down from what fans of the musical will be used to hearing, but these changes work extremely well on film. (See “Stupid With Love” for the best example – it’s been turned into a gentle, dreamlike pop piece that fits right where it is in context.) That’s something that’s important to remember, if you are coming into this viewing experience as a fan of the stage musical. These art forms – theatre and film – are extremely different, and therefore, stories cannot be adapted exactly the same way. In actuality, a 1:1 transition would be detrimental to the material.
Another advantage of being on film is the ability to play with the formatting, and Mean Girls uses this in an incredibly smart way: all of the musical numbers are widescreen, while scenes are full screen. This allows a visual and aesthetic shift when moving into the world of song and dance, even leaning into music video territory, in the best way. (The cinematography on “Someone Gets Hurt” is probably my favorite in the entire movie, a dark, glitzy, and seductively confusing move through a crowded living room.) Everything moves smoothly from scene to scene, often cleverly using stage tricks to blend a transition. Kyle Hanagami’s choreography showcases a talented ensemble that has been brilliantly styled by Tom Broecker to truly resemble high schoolers in 2024.
The cast is brilliant, particularly Reneé Rapp as the queen bee, Regina George. Having played the role on Broadway, she’s no stranger to the material, but it’s really remarkable how well she was able to adjust her vocals to the pop-leaning reconstructions of the pieces. The combination of her performance and the way her scenes are shot creates a truly captivating and intimidating illustration of a villain; she’s hot, and you should be terrified of her. Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey devour every scene they are in as Janice and Damien, clearly having the time of their lives while filming this movie – for Cravalho, this is a long way from Moana and Little Mermaid Live. And, in a full circle moment, it was nice, if not a bit jarring, to see Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprising their 2004 roles as Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall (with a new twist on their dynamic).
While the general populace is once again decrying the supposed sudden revelation that this movie is a musical, it works, and it works well. (I would go as far as to say that this particular musical works better on film than it did on stage.) I just wish that film studios would stop being coy about making movie musicals – are they “cringe” and so earnest that it hurts? Sometimes. But that’s part of why I love them, and why it’s so easy for them to make us feel something.
Maybe – just maybe – I’ll go see Les Misérables again when it’s re-released this month.
This was horrendous
The songs were memorable, the dance montages boring and the movie just came off really cheesy.
It's funny, musical, but funny, and Renée Rapp :place_worship::place_worship:
People seem to be stuck in the fact its a remake and a musical but it's just a reskin of the Broadway production. Gives them a chance to tweak a few things from the original and gives us Renee Rapp as Regina once again :grin:
It had some weak spots but stands happily along side the original for me. Fun ride with some solid laughs.
Since I only saw the original for the first and so far only time a few years ago, my nostalgia for 'Mean Girls' is not too strong. Nevertheless, the movie from 2004 has stayed in my memory, owing to its incredible quotability and some memorable characters. The main question for me with this remake was whether it was more than just the same thing again, only as a musical. And even though I don't know how it compares to the Broadway musical, the answer for me is a firm no.
But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the film; the story and characters are still strong. In terms of the cast, I would call it a slight downgrade compared to the original, but at least the most important role, that of Plastics leader Regina George, was filled brilliantly by Reneé Rapp. Another noteworthy performance comes from 'Moana' star Auliʻi Cravalho as outsider Janis. Her role was even expanded a little. In contrast, I found Angourie Rice rather bland as the main character, Cady, but to be honest, that wasn't really any different with Lindsay Lohan in 2004. For me, the role is simply the least interesting of them all.
Meanwhile, the songs are solid, if not necessarily outstanding - although most of the choreography is not worth mentioning. But at least the Plastics' first appearance is more than successful. Unfortunately, the level cannot be maintained after that. All in all, this new version of 'Mean Girls' is perhaps a little superfluous. But ultimately, I still had fun because the drop-off from the original is not that significant.
I knew it was a musical which is fine (I’m a Gleek), but for some reason I laughed every time they broke out into song. Overall it was entertaining but nothing memorable.
if you absolutely have to, only watch this for Karen. the wokeness had it giving "politically correct girls who definitely would've been dress coded."
Good fun, smart joke updates and high energy! Auli'i Cravalho as the artistic outsider Janice & Avantika as the ditsy Plastic were the standouts
Regina George steals the movie. Found the dialogue quite funny. For a musical, none of the songs really stood out to me. All harmless and for most part solid. The cast sounds great though! I don’t remember a ton from the original, but watching this makes me really want to rewatch it!
God, okay...This isn't the first classic Lindsay Lohan movie they've movie-musical-ised. I find when they did this similar movie-musical remake of Freaky Friday (2018) it felt much smoother, and kept story fans and musical fans both happy, even when they added in the modern elements. Look, I REALLY wanted to like this movie. I am a nostalgia glasses wearer for the original movie, and a big lover for the broadway musical. I was disappointed with the top40 feeling the musical numbers had. I thought that everyone aside from Janis felt very held back, and not able to truly give it their all especially in the bigger numbers. The only thing I can commend is the beautiful camerawork in the musical numbers, despite it feeling very music video-like it was very creative, I really enjoyed that.I can appreciate that I hope the right audience finds this movie enjoyable. It is a hard one to nail. Also, Lindsay Lohan cameo felt a bit cheap. The best song was I'd Rather Be Me. Janis was actually one of the only believable characters.
Another movie the new Gayllywood decided to remake by wokefying it. No one asked for this. The original was fine as it was.
Shout by KnolBlockedParent2024-01-13T23:46:38Z
It's literally only been 20 years why did they have re reboot a fucking classic??? Without the absolute queen Rachel McAdams