Mean Girls (2004)
a review by Evan Landon
I know this is a little unusual (even for me) that I would choose to talk about a coming-of age teen comedy, but I don't think this movie is talked about nearly enough! Strange to hear me say that, I know. I am a little concerned for me too.
If you are not familiar with this 2004 American teen comedy film, I think you might need a Vitamin C injection because you have been living under a fucking rock for most of your life.. *side note* I actually had to look up if Vitamin C was on the soundtrack, but no, even though the soundtrack did very well. Most notably is the rendition of Jingle Bell Rock that “The Plastics” do every Christmas talent show. “The Mathlete Rap” is short, but funny as hell too. I wish it was a little bit longer, to be honest, but we will just have to wait for a sequel. Speaking of a sequel, it appears the only thing holding it back is Tina Fey herself, who if you do not know is the writer and director. I mean, there was a Mean Girls 2 from 2011, but it was direct to vid & had little or nothing to with the original & there is a musical, I think. The original is loosely based off a non-fiction self-help book by Rosalind Wiseman in 2002 called “Queen Bees & Wannabes” and Tina Fey's own high school experiences. It's hard to believe she would have a terrible time at high school, but I think only a small few actually had no problems back then.
Where was I? Oh yeah.
I definitely did not see this in the theater because it was obviously nowhere on my radar until it became a mainstream success and my girlfriend (at the time) waned on and on and on about it, so naturally I did end up watching it unknowing it would become not just a mainstream success but a cult phenomenon that has lasted almost two decades. I would say I am embellishing, however I have a sinking feeling I am not giving it enough credit. Grossing over $130 million against a $17 million budget, it makes it one of the most successful films of all time and is so fetch that a restaurant in Santa Cruz made the word happen. Gretchen would be so proud.
Speaking of Gretchen, turns out I have the same pant-busting crush for Lacey Chabert I had when I was 15. She has found new success as a Hallmark channel actress. (Psssst hit me up if you are reading this, Lace.. ;) It is also responsible for launching the careers of a pre-The Notebook Rachel McAdams which came out the very next month and is the first film for a young Amanda Seyfried. Oh yeah, Lindsey Lohan is in it too.
The whole story is told from the narrative of a displaced ginger girl from South Africa to whose parents move her to Evanston, Illinois (no, I had nothing to do with the name, shut up) and she must adapt to the high school cliques that are not very developed except for “The Plastics” and her newly found outcast friends. That is pretty much the entire plot, but it is defined by the events of an entire school year than any true story arc. There is a true character arc in the main characters, but mostly points out all the inefficiencies in the moral vacuum we call “high school”. I digress.
Despite all of its shortcomings as a somewhat corny script and easily predictable premise, the movie triumphs with its acting, pacing, and its minimalist cinematography. That's me nit-picking though. I absolutely adore this movie, but those shortcomings in the script do detract me a bit. There are more than enough peeps in this world that disagree with me on that and you might be one of them, but this movie has the capability of turning a gross-out grindhouse horror fan into one of the junior plastics that gets hit by a bus at the end.
Just kidding. That does happen though.
As candy cane Santa would say, “Four for you Glenn Coco! You go, Glenn Coco!”
3.5 out of 5