Yes, I’ll admit, I left the room and thought, “There’s nothing like the original”; However, I must confess that this is pure nostalgia because Mean Girls 2024 is fun. Something that did not convince many about this film directed by Arturo Perez Jr. and Samantha Jayne is that the story was turned into a musical. But before rejecting the film because of this “little detail”, which the truth does not take away from its essence, you should give it a chance, since it does not ask anything of the original.
Additionally, something you should take into account is that not only will you relive the story starring Rachel McAdams and Lindsay Lohan, but the musical version also gives us feminist and social themes and has an extra shot of nostalgia. But we go in parts.
Why Watch Mean Girls 2024?
The first thing we should highlight is that the Mean Girls musical, which premieres this January 10, 2024, is updated. The creators decided to modify those little things that could currently spark controversy because of how cruel or offensive they are. An example is the comments written in the “Burn Book”, where the “plastic” women wrote terrible things about their classmates, believing themselves to be superior. What was definitively eliminated was the supposed relationship that the sisters had with the physical education teacher, because here and around the world, it is pedophilia.
The directors follow the same line of modern female comedy, where social clichés, hierarchies, bullying, and beauty standards return as protagonists. Furthermore, sexuality is addressed in a freer way and without taboos, since when the original version was released, this was still a topic that few dared to talk about. Now, you have to understand why it was musical. It turns out that this play, based on the book Queen Bees and Wannabes, by Rosalind Wiseman, received a great response from the public and we are not just referring to the 2004 version that we love so much, but it also had its moment on Broadway.
And it was then that they thought of bringing it to the big screen with everything and music. It doesn’t matter if you are not a fan of this genre, the truth is that you are going to have a very fun time because even if we know the story from head to toe, many jokes guarantee a good laugh, and several elements are included, like the impact of social networks.
One last recommendation:
If you are going to see this film, bring scarves, because many little details will make you feel great sadness, but in a beautiful way. The principal (Tim Meadows) and the teacher (Tina Fey), who remain the same, give us signs that now it is a farewell. And in the end, there is a surprise that no one imagined. We would tell you, but you should see it for yourself. In the room, everyone screamed and applauded with pure emotion. Maybe it’s not the movie with which we end up saying: “Fuck, it’s art”, but yes, it is the one that will make you have a good time thanks to the freshness and fun it offers.
The Cast of Mean Girls 2024
Among the cast, Angourie Rice stands out as Cady; Renée Rapp as Regina George; Auli’i Cravalho as Janis; Bebe Wood as Gretchen; Avatika as Karen; and Jaquel Spivey as Damian. In addition to Tina Fey and Tim Meadows, who have played Professor Norvury and Principal Duvall, since the 2004 version.
This story was written in Spanish by Nayeli Párraga in Cultura Colectiva.
